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John Goreham    December 17, 2012 - 4:14PM

In reply to by Aaron Turpen

Hate to disagree with you, but I have been to plants that manufactured substrates and other parts of PV solar arrays and the fact is there is just not much energy gained. So much energy is consumed making PV arrays and then transporting and mounting them they just don't earn back enough to really change things. Yes, I will agree that there is some net overall energy gained by making a solar panel and then using the solar panel, but I won't agree that is true in areas where the sun isn't out all the time and snow and ice are part of the weather 2 or 3 months per year.
Step back a bit and think about the process described above. First, if you can make electrons flow, why not just use them directly in the house? For the fridge (biggest draw usually) and for supplemental hot water and heat and maybe even lights.
Do houses create much more energy than they can use when the sun shines? I honestly didn't know they did. If they do, that could jus go into the grid to support other uses. Right now solar is a tiny fraction of our overall energy produced and it is "Wicked local" as we say here in this area.
Solar in a space ship or cabin remotely located makes great sense. There is no wire bringing E to the place, so all methods should be employed. Solar where an electric supplier already has placed a feed is really crazy. Never cost effective,and really not much of a NET producer of energy.

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