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Study: Solar power is cheaper than nuclear

The Energy Collective -- The Holy Grail of the solar industry — reaching grid parity — may no longer be a distant dream. Solar may have already reached that point, at least when compared to nuclear power, according to a new study by two researchers at Duke University.

It’s no secret that the cost of producing photovoltaic cells (PV) has been dropping for years. A PV system today costs just 50 percent of what it did in 1998. Breakthroughs in technology and manufacturing combined with an increase in demand and production have caused the price of solar power to decline steadily. At the same time, estimated costs for building new nuclear power plants have ballooned.

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Submitted Aug 01, 2010 By: JOHNNY95206

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Sneakers55 Champion Author Houston Posts:43,339 Points:1,712,105 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Aug 7, 2010 8:47:52 PM Ignore Sneakers55 Report Abuse cutter1330 wrote: >Nuclear will never get any cheaper General Electric, Westinghouse, Hitachi, Toshiba, AREVA, Mitsubishi, Atomic Energy of Canada, Siemens, Babcock & Wilcox, and others are working on reactors that are less expensive than the last designs, most of which date back 30 years.
Sneakers55 Champion Author Houston Posts:43,339 Points:1,712,105 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Aug 7, 2010 8:26:56 PM Ignore Sneakers55 Report Abuse IamWhoIam wrote from San Francisco: >After the voltaic panels are in place it is FREE and that >is as cheap as you can get. Keep on California dreamin'. Solar panels require MAINTENANCE. Especially when you get a hailstorm.
Blue48 Champion Author Illinois Posts:4,960 Points:1,172,120 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Aug 7, 2010 8:13:07 PM Ignore Blue48 Report Abuse GO SOLAR!
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:15,266 Points:1,142,300 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 2, 2010 8:25:20 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse Bonito: too bad not too many ppl think like you. I'm all for energy savings. The less we consume, the longer the finite reserves last and the less we need to drill in those high risk areas or go to high risk energy production.
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:15,266 Points:1,142,300 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 2, 2010 8:22:02 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse vandamme: by the time YOU and most other Americans even CONSIDER buying, let alone buy and install solar panels, this country will have changed administrations at least twice.
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:15,266 Points:1,142,300 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 2, 2010 8:21:14 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse sluggopyle: you are so right on the money, it's not funny. And yet, there are so many folks out there who haven't a CLUE about reality. The new generation is even worse and worthless for the most part. Crackberry addicted. If it's not online, it's not true... if it's not talked up on FB or Twitter or wherever, then it's not true... and if I haven't heard my friends talk about it, it's not true. Sad world we're heading for.
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:15,266 Points:1,142,300 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 2, 2010 8:19:16 PM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse BurtB: you have no clue what Socialism really is. Perhaps you'd like to visit North Korea where you find Socialism in its purest form.
sluggopyle Champion Author North Carolina Posts:21,328 Points:1,032,535 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Aug 2, 2010 11:45:35 AM Ignore sluggopyle Report Abuse => So what does this have to do with cost of gas?? <= => ... Again, what does this have to do with the price of gasoline? ... <= You guys ARE kidding, right? >> Articles should be on the topics of gas prices, crude oil, clean energy, fuel efficient vehicles or related automotive articles << (News Article Submission Guidelines) To see all energy sources as separate unconnected unrelated entities is to be lost on the same path that got us where we are today. Have we learned nothing from treating nature as an a la carte menu? Another thing about solar (as well as wind and water power): none of them create deadly waste that has a half-life far far beyond the entirety of human existence. To go on producing this stuff and just stashing some here and some there is like never taking your garbage out, except your garbage is deadly poison just being near it. Scientific American: A Solar Grand Plan [Edited by: sluggopyle at 8/2/2010 1:50:06 PM EST]
vandamme Champion Author New York Posts:1,018 Points:117,800 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 2, 2010 5:57:49 AM Ignore vandamme Report Abuse There are an awful lot of assumptions here. They can't reduce all their data to one chart which proves anything. It will catch people's attention though. It sure would be nice to charge an electric car with solar cells on my roof - not even Obama can tax the sunshine.
NekoSJG Champion Author San Jose Posts:3,230 Points:570,055 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Aug 2, 2010 1:46:09 AM Ignore NekoSJG Report Abuse So what does this have to do with cost of gas??
vulcan96 Champion Author Ohio Posts:21,169 Points:2,639,595 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 11:06:26 PM Ignore vulcan96 Report Abuse the panels are cheaper, but the controllers , batteries, and inverters are going up.
Quick68 Champion Author Columbus Posts:4,837 Points:758,900 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:30:23 PM Ignore Quick68 Report Abuse I don't know about the cost but you don't have to find a place to put solar waste like you do nuclear.
CumminsFanOH Champion Author Columbus Posts:1,670 Points:827,990 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:25:29 PM Ignore CumminsFanOH Report Abuse Wishful thinking!
kcboy Champion Author Utah Posts:2,427 Points:1,191,205 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:25:08 PM Ignore kcboy Report Abuse Solar is good.
Bonito Champion Author Dayton Posts:13,046 Points:2,546,425 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:23:57 PM Ignore Bonito Report Abuse BRING it on! Put solar panels on every roof and back yard. Make them cheap like we did LCD's and it will happen!
Blue_Cruzer Champion Author Lexington Posts:5,152 Points:1,202,725 Joined:Mar 2007	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:21:48 PM Ignore Blue_Cruzer Report Abuse Sounds like solar is the way to go.
TBONE3 Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:6,388 Points:1,510,745 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:17:56 PM Ignore TBONE3 Report Abuse It's like comparing carrots with lobster. Costs a lot more to build nuclear.
tedjm1 Champion Author New York Posts:3,540 Points:389,685 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:17:03 PM Ignore tedjm1 Report Abuse How do we apply this in a city like New York?
lindact Champion Author New Haven Posts:6,487 Points:1,270,410 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:14:18 PM Ignore lindact Report Abuse Let's keep refining this system...
joel27nc Champion Author Raleigh Posts:8,157 Points:1,392,445 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:12:50 PM Ignore joel27nc Report Abuse Then why don't we see more solar on the streets?
CobraLeader Champion Author New Jersey Posts:267,902 Points:1,200,750 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:10:58 PM Ignore CobraLeader Report Abuse ... Again, what does this have to do with the price of gasoline? ...
Bubba44612 Champion Author Ohio Posts:5,183 Points:1,421,070 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:09:56 PM Ignore Bubba44612 Report Abuse Not enough sun in Ohio to be viable.
Bigwaynef Champion Author South Carolina Posts:7,657 Points:1,613,960 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 10:05:55 PM Ignore Bigwaynef Report Abuse Jeannemarie, now that sounds good...
ScottTee Champion Author Detroit Posts:2,088 Points:602,175 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:57:12 PM Ignore ScottTee Report Abuse it is an improvement
Jeannemarie Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:26,922 Points:1,944,585 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:55:32 PM Ignore Jeannemarie Report Abuse We have a system here where you put the solar panels on your roof and during the long days the solar cranks out more than you can use which goes back to the electric company which provides the storage for the electricity. Ok so far? When it gets dark and the solar is not with us the electric company cranks back the stored electric power to use, however, most cases seem to end up with more electricity in the storage banks than is needed by the customer. IN that case the electric company will pay YOU, the customer, for the additional electricity they do NOT have to buy, import or whatever. It is working nicely here. Basic Magnesium in Henderson has the panels which follow the sun all day long and they have been making a little side money as they get more than they need. They are generally turned down at night so do not need to draw. This is far from a flawless system, but, by golly it is an improvement on bills going up when you are not even around.....
915Chief Champion Author San Diego Posts:6,061 Points:1,203,245 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:53:22 PM Ignore 915Chief Report Abuse parity with nuclear is a grail, but not the holy grail
Buck_on_Bass Champion Author Tennessee Posts:5,175 Points:1,040,065 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:49:22 PM Ignore Buck_on_Bass Report Abuse An what is the cost of solar power at 3:00 AM? Nuclear is still operating while solar must be drawing upon stored energy. Without including storage, you do not have a reasonable comparison. And, at $0.16.kWh, this is comparable with the retail cost of power not a wholesale rate. If the residential customer goes heavily to PV, who should pay for the back-up capability in case the PV system cannot meet the owners electric demand? Who is responsible for frequency control? Addressing these issues requires the PV owner to pay the utility for providing these services. That make the true break-even point much lower than the price cited in the article.
1cheapgasin Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:3,145 Points:744,590 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:44:02 PM Ignore 1cheapgasin Report Abuse Solar still needs to be perfected!!!!
sjl08203 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:5,870 Points:1,330,425 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:42:55 PM Ignore sjl08203 Report Abuse Let's build a sun
1cheapgasin Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:3,145 Points:744,590 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:42:27 PM Ignore 1cheapgasin Report Abuse Our gov. will tax us for any energy-no free lunch so it doesn't really matter!!!!!!
scrounger Champion Author Vancouver Posts:9,635 Points:2,648,020 Joined:Mar 2003	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:39:36 PM Ignore scrounger Report Abuse now there is a no brainer
jrsva Champion Author Virginia Posts:7,144 Points:1,145,350 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:37:41 PM Ignore jrsva Report Abuse This is good news. As the price comes down we need to see solar PV panels on every rooftop, residential as well as industrial. Solar electricity is the only reasonable way to recharge electric cars.
Sody33 Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:15,482 Points:1,814,560 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:36:51 PM Ignore Sody33 Report Abuse I agree with rjoeh emphatically. We have lots of solar coming together here in Nevada and as soon as the plants are built they will employ many people. We are also getting ready to build some wind farms and that will employ some people. This is being done through the efforts of Harry Reid. His opponent says she will not be in the business of providing jobs as Senator. I wonder what she thinks she is supposed to do. She's not pretty enough to be a decorative piece and really way too opinionated to be of help in this situation. She thinks unemployment should not be sent to people who have been unemployed for a long time as they are lazy and don't deserve it. She thinks Medicare and Social Security and the Department of Education and the EPA all need to be discarded. This woman was a teacher but she got fired for her radical views. She thinks no woman should be allowed to get an abortion even if it is through incest or rape or would cause the death of the woman. Sorry I am so full of hearing about her I am disgusted and I am a Republican and so is she but we obviously don't share the same political party AT ALL.
esquared Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:6,082 Points:1,573,875 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:32:40 PM Ignore esquared Report Abuse Sustainable and renewable is the true "holy grail."
rjoeh Champion Author Michigan Posts:5,740 Points:2,058,465 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:24:38 PM Ignore rjoeh Report Abuse As technology improves... all alternative energy sources will come on line to compete as viable energy sources.
chuck sr All-Star Author Tampa Posts:587 Points:780,525 Joined:Apr 2004	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:23:20 PM Ignore chuck sr Report Abuse The farms in Indiana and Illinois are covered with windmills, placed between the rows of produce. Excellent arrangement!
IamWhoIam Champion Author San Francisco Posts:13,960 Points:1,459,700 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:16:00 PM Ignore IamWhoIam Report Abuse After the voltaic panels are in place it is FREE and that is as cheap as you can get.
caddilac Champion Author Ontario Posts:13,786 Points:1,672,805 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:10:48 PM Ignore caddilac Report Abuse I never thought otherwise.
pgriff1 Champion Author New Orleans Posts:4,287 Points:1,587,035 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:08:54 PM Ignore pgriff1 Report Abuse So how much land does it take to produce 1100MW of power on an overcast day? If you are going to compare cost then it needs to included all cost.
abcdMA Champion Author Worcester Posts:5,619 Points:1,114,250 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:08:31 PM Ignore abcdMA Report Abuse we need to use anyone of these alternatives in greater quantity
Lukus Champion Author Halifax Posts:6,026 Points:1,216,610 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:07:37 PM Ignore Lukus Report Abuse There should be more research into Solar.
John747 Champion Author Chicago Posts:429,105 Points:3,158,010 Joined:Aug 2001	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:06:52 PM Ignore John747 Report Abuse It would have been nice (and more honest) if they told you how you're expected to get your power when the sun isn't shining. Or do they expect you to turn off your air-conditioner on those hot, humid summer nights? Something tells me you're still going to need some kind of nuclear or fossil fuel based power source to provide your power need when the sun don't shine!
Jeeputtputt Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,388 Points:341,520 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:04:59 PM Ignore Jeeputtputt Report Abuse learned something else today
Dancin Champion Author Toronto Posts:5,510 Points:2,082,255 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:03:40 PM Ignore Dancin Report Abuse It IS when you consider the 10,000 year half life of the lethal waste.
Jo120 Champion Author Arizona Posts:4,242 Points:1,475,330 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 9:00:16 PM Ignore Jo120 Report Abuse I have a relative that has made his own solar vehicle to be able to drive around the farm with. Very cheap to drive.
Voltus Champion Author Miami Posts:6,232 Points:1,122,955 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 8:59:51 PM Ignore Voltus Report Abuse is that was true, most of the world would be covered by solar panels by now...
woodeye55 Champion Author Gary Posts:4,654 Points:1,391,730 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 8:58:04 PM Ignore woodeye55 Report Abuse Ya, if the sun comes out long enough.
BlueVanGroup Champion Author Colorado Posts:4,781 Points:1,069,325 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 8:57:08 PM Ignore BlueVanGroup Report Abuse Why did the cost of nuclear power more than double in 2007? (See graph in article.) Was it just that Democrats took over Congress, or was that just a coincidence?
30mpg80 Champion Author Lexington Posts:4,486 Points:1,021,970 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 8:53:07 PM Ignore 30mpg80 Report Abuse Install at home: When you generate more than you use, electric meter runs backwards (helps the grid during peak use times)
thirstyauto Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:10,597 Points:1,152,550 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Aug 1, 2010 8:47:30 PM Ignore thirstyauto Report Abuse I always thought that solar power was the #1 fuel alternative. When it runs out we will have a lot more problems than lack of fuel!