Why less support for renewable’s when compared to nuclear.
There exists real competition for example in the solar panel market. Solyndra went bankrupt because it seriously underestimated the foreign, specifically the Chinese, solar panel market. Why should the government subsidize renewable energy projects when the history is still so very young and can likely be underbid by foreign suppliers? Additionally nuclear power can achieve output that renewables cannot achieve. “The cost of building and operating the Finnish nuclear plant over the next 20 years will be $15 billion. Over that time period, the plant will generate 225 terawatt-hours (twh) of electricity at a cost of 7 cents per kilowatt hour.”(1) There simply is a larger return with nuclear at this time.
Niche business opportunities in the global development.
I discovered this amazing article from MIT regarding the recycling of automobile batteries and the production of Perovskite based photovoltaic cells. The typical process used to obtain Perovskite uses lead from raw ores which can produce toxic residues and therefore is considered a drawback. However, the power conversion efficiency of Perovskite cells is running 19% which is on par with silicon based cells. Thus began a search for “cleaner”, methods to obtain the lead. Old, used automobile batteries fit the bill perfectly.
With newer ion based batteries coming into mainstream use, there will be a surplus of lead cell batteries that would be destined for landfills. This is a win-win because it adds significant value to a retired, soon to be obsolete toxic material. Lead based batteries will be recycled into another form of energy that can be sustained for years. I see this as an excellent opportunity to evolve a form of moderately efficient energy storage into an energy producer whilst keep a very toxic substance out of landfills.
Works Cited
(1)Nicks, Denver. “Nuclear vs Solar Q&A with Dr. Corradini of the American Nuclear Society.” Power Engineering. Pennwell Power Sites, 12 July 2014. Web. 9 Sept. 2014. <http://www.power-eng.com/blogs/energy-matters/2013/05/nuclear_versus_solar.html>.
Chandler, David. “Recycling Old Batteries into Solar Cells.” MIT News. MIT News Office, 18 Aug. 2014. Web. 9 Sept. 2014. <http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/recycling-batteries-into-solar-cells-0818>.
Scrapping, of sorts, is a huge business in the United States and India. Battery recycling and the breaking down of them for parts is not a new or uncommon thing. However, what we are using them now for is. This gives new hope for other materials at landfills and dumps that can be recycled and re-utilized. May I add, that I find it ironic that non-renewable sources of energy such as batteries are being utilized for parts for renewable production units as well.
Link to my blog: http://engr312.dutton.psu.edu/2014/09/09/entrepreneurial-niche-facciolla/
Hi David, you raised an interesting point about the amount of foreign competition in the solar panel market. Is there the same type competition among domestic companies? I also think finding more efficient battery storage can really be the key to increasing wind and solar capacity. I know there is a ton of research going on right now. I hadn’t read about the prospect of recycling auto batteries before, but it sounds like a great idea.