Actually solar can be viable even in areas known for their lack of sun such as Seattle.
Solar is on a clear path to becoming the cheapest form of electricity. The average price of a solar panel has dropped 35% in the last year alone. I'd give it 5 to 10 years max before it becomes the most cost efficient form of energy.
I'm looking at Google data and see the world's power production for 2009 at 20.0785 trillion kilowatt hours. So I'm not sure where your 2500gw number is coming from.
Given Washington state's feed in tariff establish until 2020 it's still economical to install solar panels. Looking at the whole year it's still a better deal than the power company. And it's not as if the solar panels don't produce any power in Winter.
You should look more closely at the various state to state subsidy plans. Even in the Seattle area where I am, clouds all the time, with the in state subsidies and solar loan programs it's already cheaper to install solar. Most people just haven't done the math on it
- Solar energy can be stored in local grids. Though who said we have to do away will all the other forms of power production?
- So there were problem once, so there will be problems forever? Dealing with environmental regulators is a problem for any business.
- Nuclear plants constantly need to be be inspected and approved during the building process. Until something change nuclear plants take 20+ years to build
- Since when aren't other forms of energy subsidized? Oil, biofuel, and coal companies all receive far more in subsidies than solar panels do.
Eather you consume an amazing amount of electricity, or you were looking at some really bad prices. What price per watt rating were you getting? I've seen solar panels as low as $0.82 per watt.
1) Today's systems are cheep enough that the lack of production at night doesn't keep them from being profitable to install. In addition solar's best energy producing hours are peak energy drawing hours when electricity can be more expensive.
2) Residential solar systems can be grid tied into local power systems, or a system of batteries at the place of installation.
3) The United States Government owns huge tracks of land. Google "government land map" and you should see. Those desert areas would be perfect for solar plants.
4) Eather the drop in solar panel prices will be enough to offset their loss of efficiency in high heat, or a new design that will be efficient in the heat will come out.
5) Maybe
6(2nd 5?)) They've caused the price to fall like rock. That's awesome from the home solar installer's perspective. I've seen systems as low as $0.82 per max watt output most recently, and prices are falling even further. The business isn't over, but it's a bloodbath of companies getting out classed.
7(6?)) Unless there are amazing drops in prices I see solar staying the more economical option.
8(7?)) Nuclear reactors take 20+ years to build. The cost of solar will long since be cheaper than nuclear by the time any plant could be built.
As much as I'd like to take the word of Parpunk's random 2007 post I'm not convinced. I have no idea who that is, and given the distinctive test-cart-like features of the game I'm inclined inclined to believe it is not a prototype.
In addition we don't even know if the PCB in the picture belongs to this game. Who is going to open it up to check it out after buying? Or maybe this was formatted from another non-Zelda PCB with compatible mappers?
Hey, maybe Parpunk is right. And maybe this is a prototype that just happens to look like a test cart. But that's a huge maybe for a $150,000 purchase. Would you spend that much without verifying six ways to Sunday that this was legit?
Ahh sure, why should someone selling something for $150,000 be expected to provide evidence of the item's validity.....
Why would they post the PCB? Well do you have a spare Zelda test cart to compare against? Even among those who have one; would they open it up? This isn't exactly an easy verification.
I saw the questions section, but I found very little in the way of proof. There is no picture of a test cart's PCB to verify against, and the in article they refer to verify this claim has nothing more than front facing picture and a passing mention of the cart. Do you have a verifiable Zelda test cart PCB picture to compare against?
If this is a prototype then why did it come out in a test cart's color? The orangish-yellow is a standard in many other test carts. Taking a look at other NES prototypes I find only grey carts.
The Zelda Test cartridge comes in that sort of orangeish yellow color. I used to have one myself.
Just do a google search for "NES Zelda test cart", and you'll find plenty of other examples. This particular test cart just happens to have a hand written label.
Slashdot Mirror
Be the same old logo
No sir. It's not as if a community has grown around add and removing features outside of the manufacturer's specifications to Iphones
Actually solar can be viable even in areas known for their lack of sun such as Seattle.
Solar is on a clear path to becoming the cheapest form of electricity. The average price of a solar panel has dropped 35% in the last year alone. I'd give it 5 to 10 years max before it becomes the most cost efficient form of energy.
I'm looking at Google data and see the world's power production for 2009 at 20.0785 trillion kilowatt hours. So I'm not sure where your 2500gw number is coming from.
Like the other, non-subsidized forms of energy solar is competing against? What were those again?
Not really. We just need to store enough extra energy to meet demands at night
The law of supply and demand
Given Washington state's feed in tariff establish until 2020 it's still economical to install solar panels. Looking at the whole year it's still a better deal than the power company. And it's not as if the solar panels don't produce any power in Winter.
If you want some real numbers from a solar system in the area take a look here; http://view2.fatspaniel.net/PV2Web/merge?view=PV/standard/Simple&eid=299424
Yes, as coal accounted for 36 percent of U.S. electricity in the first quarter of 2012 I can clearly see how big coal is totally "dead".
I like these prices better, http://www.dmsolar.com/
You should look more closely at the various state to state subsidy plans. Even in the Seattle area where I am, clouds all the time, with the in state subsidies and solar loan programs it's already cheaper to install solar. Most people just haven't done the math on it
- Solar energy can be stored in local grids. Though who said we have to do away will all the other forms of power production?
- So there were problem once, so there will be problems forever? Dealing with environmental regulators is a problem for any business.
- Nuclear plants constantly need to be be inspected and approved during the building process. Until something change nuclear plants take 20+ years to build
- Since when aren't other forms of energy subsidized? Oil, biofuel, and coal companies all receive far more in subsidies than solar panels do.
In many geographical areas it does
I really love solar, but mandating it? No way. Let the price fall like it has been and soon enough solar will become the cheapest form of energy
Let me guess....You didn't open up that first PDF link in which they did just what you said?
I'm curious what price were you quoted at per watt?
Eather you consume an amazing amount of electricity, or you were looking at some really bad prices. What price per watt rating were you getting? I've seen solar panels as low as $0.82 per watt.
1.21 Gigawatts!
No, what we need is a feed in tariff. So we can reward those who are actually producing the electricity
There are many places in the USA in which solar at current prices is a better deal than the power company's electricity
1) Today's systems are cheep enough that the lack of production at night doesn't keep them from being profitable to install. In addition solar's best energy producing hours are peak energy drawing hours when electricity can be more expensive.
2) Residential solar systems can be grid tied into local power systems, or a system of batteries at the place of installation.
3) The United States Government owns huge tracks of land. Google "government land map" and you should see. Those desert areas would be perfect for solar plants.
4) Eather the drop in solar panel prices will be enough to offset their loss of efficiency in high heat, or a new design that will be efficient in the heat will come out.
5) Maybe
6(2nd 5?)) They've caused the price to fall like rock. That's awesome from the home solar installer's perspective. I've seen systems as low as $0.82 per max watt output most recently, and prices are falling even further. The business isn't over, but it's a bloodbath of companies getting out classed.
7(6?)) Unless there are amazing drops in prices I see solar staying the more economical option.
8(7?)) Nuclear reactors take 20+ years to build. The cost of solar will long since be cheaper than nuclear by the time any plant could be built.
As much as I'd like to take the word of Parpunk's random 2007 post I'm not convinced. I have no idea who that is, and given the distinctive test-cart-like features of the game I'm inclined inclined to believe it is not a prototype.
In addition we don't even know if the PCB in the picture belongs to this game. Who is going to open it up to check it out after buying? Or maybe this was formatted from another non-Zelda PCB with compatible mappers?
Hey, maybe Parpunk is right. And maybe this is a prototype that just happens to look like a test cart. But that's a huge maybe for a $150,000 purchase. Would you spend that much without verifying six ways to Sunday that this was legit?
Ahh sure, why should someone selling something for $150,000 be expected to provide evidence of the item's validity.....
Why would they post the PCB? Well do you have a spare Zelda test cart to compare against? Even among those who have one; would they open it up? This isn't exactly an easy verification.
I saw the questions section, but I found very little in the way of proof. There is no picture of a test cart's PCB to verify against, and the in article they refer to verify this claim has nothing more than front facing picture and a passing mention of the cart. Do you have a verifiable Zelda test cart PCB picture to compare against?
If this is a prototype then why did it come out in a test cart's color? The orangish-yellow is a standard in many other test carts. Taking a look at other NES prototypes I find only grey carts.
The Zelda Test cartridge comes in that sort of orangeish yellow color. I used to have one myself.
Just do a google search for "NES Zelda test cart", and you'll find plenty of other examples. This particular test cart just happens to have a hand written label.
It's a nice find, but worth no more than $150