Solar Organics

I have seen this recently

I am a fan of solar, I do see it as one of the top solutions to our species’ energy needs, as it relies on our much bigger energy source - our Sun - than the burning of the old dead bodies under our feet (fossil fuels).

Do you agree?

Do you think we can get solar powered clothing, buildings, solar everything? Would you want that?

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Maybe they test this to put it into windows again.

I’ve been hoping to see solar energy get mainstream since I was a kid. By now, I’m truly convinced the only reason we don’t have solar energy everywhere it’s because of heavy lobby from the energy sector to keep the status quo.

I mean, Tesla has a whole factory - one of the biggest ever - relying mostly, if not only, on renewable energy sources. Why can’t we power our own homes the same way? We have better solar panels, better batteries, low-consuming devices… Our homes should be at least 75% solar-powered by now, by default.

We can actually do it, but between the still high cost of the system and the nightmarish bureaucracy to get the city permit to do it, there’s little incentive, even if, ultimately, the benefit would be for everyone.

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Cover all tall buildings with solar panels. This will also prevent birds from crashing into buildings :slight_smile:

The state of Iowa has some nice tax incentives for solar (we are also #2 behind Texas for wind!). I’ve looked into solar for my house before. The panels come with 30 year warranties and you pay for about 12 of those years. In other words, 18 years of free energy. The downside is, the panels need to be placed on the southside of the house, which happens to be the front of our house. They are an eyesore, so we’ve decided to pass :frowning:

Here in Irvine, CA about a mile or so from me is a car company called Karma Automotive that produces the Revero which uses an entire roof panel made of solar panels which charge the batteries of the car (it’s a hybrid of sorts) providing 500-1000 miles per year of battery charged strictly by solar.

It’s one sexy four door car, with a price tag well out of range of most of us.

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Organic solar are lighter, so I see them ending up in more places. One idea for the ugly solar problem was solar roof coverings which look just like a normal roof, so none can tell.

California passed a mandate that all new homes be built with solar panels, and imo I think every state should pass similar mandate. Be it actual solar panels or solar roof tiles/shingles like what tesla makes

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I think Tesla has the right idea in making solar roof tiles.

Anything that can use solar power in a covert manner is good.

I remember years ago, talk of shoes that could charge your phone, by each step creating power.

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TOTAL MSRP* $131,400 (base). I’ll take 20.

Kinetic energy based chargers. They store energy generated from movements, like of like those shake-it flashlights. Maybe you’re thinking about the nPower Peg?

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Wonder what shoes like that would look like going through an airport X-ray scanner :thinking: the project was probably killed after that shoe bomber.

As for solar I don’t think we are going to see any significant changes in the way governments think about and implement it until we see it more environmentally friendly Administration. Fossil fuels as bad as they are for the environment are great for driving economy’s around the world. Don’t get me wrong I am all for renewable green energy and eliminating the use of fossil fuels but that is a complex issue.

on a side note has anybody heard of solar panels that also generate electricity when it’s raining?

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I always wondered why Tesla doesn’t use solar panels on their cars. Whatever little energy comes from it, it’s still free energy, so why not?

Not efficient enough to justify extra weight and complexity. Maybe a small panel to power cabin fans like the Prius. That should do nicely.

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In theory, this is a great idea, but I’m not sure it’s practical.

Not to get political, but I have a hard time when government bodies mandate certain things like this, mostly because technology changes so much. Sure, solar might be a good option now, but what about 5 years from now? 10 years from now? 20 years from now? With the investment that comes with owning a home, I don’t think I would want to be forced to commit to an energy source that may be outdated before the house is only a few years old (relatively speaking).

Respectfully, I don’t think it’s such a bad idea. Solar energy is still improving, still being widely adopted. We are past the point where we should be using any means to ease the charge on the electric network, and on the planet.

Construction technology improves over time. A house built 50 years ago with the technology and the mandates of the time still stands today - though it can be improved by renovating to today’s standards. Solar panels are just one more item on the array of different tech in a home.

From a government standpoint, it’s even better. Once enough houses have solar panels, the charge on the electric network will decrease.

But, as with many other environmental issues, we should be first talking about the big spenders, and that’s not residential houses. Every factory and large office building should be mandated to have self-generated energy solutions implemented, as they consume over 70% of the energy. Individual efforts are nice, sure, but even if every individual put the effort, we would still have a problem without the big companies acting.

I think we are agreeing, for the most point. Anything that we can do to encourage renewable energy is great.

Mandating such a thing requires an owner to buy into a technology that may be obsolete in the foreseeable future is my gripe. Instead of mandating it, why not put high incentive tax rebates for those who choose to participate? Not giving the consumer a choice is philosophically where I have an issue.

There Is a notion of green washing, where you buy a thing thinking it helps but doesn’t actually.

Tesla for example, energy to build the factory, energy to build the car, energy to ship parts, people, the energy use of the people who make the parts and make the car and built the factory. The non recyclables in all of the entire life cycle of every part from raw material to back to raw material.

No the most efficient are cities with efficient public transportation with folks walking or biking the last mile problem. Very few need a car, they either are obtuse themselves or city planning cause the problem via home work distances.

Yes solar will get better but that’s no excuse to delay.

We’re looking at a child born now being old in a world without Florida. Anker’s factory under water.

Organic solar is one example innovation and could be used at the next house building.

Not a big fan of offices unless we get a mixed use city planning where homes, shops, work are mingled so you don’t get a commute rush.

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Ethanol is along the same lines. In the end, it’s basically a wash, but at least it comes from our farmers and is renewable.

Now you hit the nerve!