Solar power for a home will begin to make more and more sense as the cost of electricity goes up, and the cost per installed kW of solar panels goes down. Given that electricity now costs $0.18/KW-hr in NYC, solar may already make sense. I figured by covering the entire roof in solar panels I can generate on average more electric than we use. The weak link is how to store it. While it is fairly straightforward to tie an inverter into the breaker panel, and switch between grid and solar as needed, this still makes one dependent upon the grid when the panels aren't generating electricity. Storage via a bank of lead-acid batteries is expensive and inelegant. Eventually the batteries will need replacement which adds to the costs. Once a means of storing the surplus energy exists which lasts long enough to never need replacing (let's say at least 50 years) and costs no more than batteries, I think we will start seeing solar power installed in new homes as a matter of course. It will also gradually be retrofitted in older homes, replacing both the need to use grid electricity, and also to use fossil fuels for heating/hot water. I think the technologies to enable this to happen will be mature within a decade. We'll have far more efficient panels by then as well.
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What about putting solar panels on an EV? Ive seen them on motor homes and RVs, but why not EVs?
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I'm surprised this isn't already done. The problem is vehicle designers seem to have an all or nothing approach. If the solar cells can't supply 100% of the power requirements for the vehicle, they see no need for them. I think solar cells built into the roof, hood, and trunk of an EV can supply a good portion of the energy needed. If one uses the vehicle exclusively for short trips, it can likely supply 100% of the power by recharging the batteries while the car is parked. Even on longer trips, the solar cells can supplement the battery, and extend the range significantly. I really wish the automakers would give electric vehicles a second look in light of new battery and solar technologies. They are eminently more sensible than hybrids (which still have noisy, polluting engines) or even fuel cells (which must still carry dangerous, explosive fuel). The range problems of EVs are highly exaggerated. 99% of vehicle round trips fall within the range of current EVs. EVs that can partially or fully recharge when parked in the sun will extend their range even further.