Comments on: Alubond Solar Panels Could Save $70 Million

By: hsassoc

hsassoc — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:35:49 +0000

Indeed Jon. Efficiency is the big thing here. Just been reading that the Germans have made a 41% efficient panel.

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:06:40 +0000

The article is interesting but does not mention the panels efficiency rating. 50% cheaper and 50% less efficient (when efficiency only averages 20% anyway) is not a bargain.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:52:52 +0000

Exactly. Efficiency cannot exceed 100%, so you will never get more energy from this turbine than you used in the compressor. Eventually, this machine will slow down and stop. Even if you had 100% efficiency within the system and the machine could power itself forever theoretically, the instant you add the load of turning a generator or something for external use you will be below 100% again.

Please, o please don’t waste precious, unrecoverable CPU cycles in your brain trying to solve the world’s energy problems with machines this simple. I learned quickly that if a design was simple enough for ME to think of it, CERTAINLY a genius engineer somewhere has already thought of it, discarded the idea, and has since moved on to more promising technologies

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:18:12 +0000

Why not just invent a perpetual motion device while we’re at it.

By: Devindra

Devindra — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:28:00 +0000

How come no one has yet invented a turbine that works with compressed air and the power generated by the turbine can powered the compressor?