I think we should be working more on tidal flows. They’re predictable. The tides are different from one area to another. Example tides in Cal are different times then Washington state. So when one is slack tide other area is in full swing.
We have the materials we have now we can make em corrosive resistant.
Man, it seems the objection to so many technologies is that they do not individually entirely solve the problem. That’s a terrible, terrible perspective to take.
Multiple technologies will be required and few of those are going to tick the box on every upside and avoid every downside.
You would think if it was common practice to clean solar panels in such a manner that there would be some type of mention of it on the internet yet strangely there is not
Bird ■■■■■ Insect eggs. Dust. Residue from rain. Etc etc.
I would love to have my own personal small solar farm for the post apocalyptic days after you people bring on a civil war. But it is kinda stupid as a source for an electric utility when other methods are available…
And plenty of other images of drones performing other inspection and maintenance functions on solar farms. Also many other images of nonflying drones cleaning the solar farms.
That’s not even close to what I was asking for and you know that . There’s a big difference between a helicopter and a drone. I wanted to see an example of cost prohibitive maintenance like described in the OP. What you linked to was the opposite
You are about 9 years off from being correct. Until 2010, most solar panels took in less energy than it cost to produce them. The projections are by 2020, solar panels as an industry will have produced more energy than the solar panels cost to date.
Personally, I think solar farms with conventional PV are wasteful. I think a better solution is more house roof based PV panels. I’m waiting for the prices to be cheap enough for solar shingles so that I can re-roof my house with them. It’s a waiting game, as I probably have less than 10 years of time before I will have to re-roof.