Earthsky Interviews
Larry Kazmerski gives an update on solar energy
10-05-2009 - Energy
Larry Kazmerski: Every 40 minutes, we receive enough solar energy on the Earth to completely power everything we do.
That’s Larry Kazmerski, of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. We asked Kazmerski what it will take to be able to use this power to meet the world’s electricity needs.
Larry Kazmerski: The energy is there. It’s a matter of two things: one thing is to convert it, and the other thing is to convert it economically, so all of us consumers can afford it.
Kazmerski said things are moving in the right direction. He mentioned the growth rate of the photovoltaics industry.
Larry Kazmerski: This grew by 80 percent in this last year.
But still, today, installing solar panels on your roof is expensive. Kazmerski said the price tag will come down if the government decides to subsidize solar, as it does for other energy industries.
Larry Kazmerski: What happens is that it enables the industry to build up its capacity. And by building up the capacity, the industry can then benefit from the economies of scale.
Kazmerski added that investing in research and development will accelerate solar’s growth.
Larry Kazmerski: I think finally, finally, these renewable technologies, and I think solar in particular, really has a chance.
But Kazmerski said that future generations of solar technology will be more efficient and less costly.
Larry Kazmerski: In the future, we’re going to have devices that are 40, 50, 60, maybe 70 or 80 percent efficient.
Our thanks to Larry Kazmerski
Known in solar energy circles simply as “Kaz,” Dr. Kazmerski is is now the Executive Director for Partnerships at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. He was the first staff member in photovoltaics at NREL’s predecessor, the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), and served as director of the National Center for Photovoltaics. In his spare time, he designs solar scarves.
Photo Credit: ctsnow
are the thin-wrap solar panels which Dr. Kazmerski had wrapped around himself in the latest National Geographic available to the public? If so, where can they be purchased? thank you, billy
I wish Dr. Kazmerski would expand on the statement “the price tag will come down if the government decides to subsidize solar, as it does for other energy industries”. I imagine most tax payers believe that solar is already subsidized–an expensive, Utopian, toy technology best left to the future. By contrast Big Oil is the self-funding, market based, indispensable proven adult in our economy. It would be nice to know better.
Good morning.
Billy, I am not sure what National Geographics ‘thinfilm’ article is, as I, have not read it.
A company called ‘Unisolar’, has had available, thinfilm panels for many years and they do make it in sheets and roofing shingle type installations.
If however,they were talking about the $1.00 per watt nano technology type,it was stated several years ago that only the commercial applicants would be able to purchase them first for many years before available to the public….Of course…The Corporate interests are job 1.
Most solar purists say that only those panels made from pure silicon ingot are the most efficient and thinfilm are not as efficient.However, the ‘pure silicon ingot’ type are much more expensive. The case being that thinfilm panels have to be a bit larger to match the power output of the silicon type.Most all of the silicon type are heavy and not as durable because they have a glass covering,thinfilm does not need the glass,making them lighter and more trustworty in a hurricane or windstorm damage.Living in Florida I,had to think of this as a potential problem.
Space for me is not a problem either.A couple inch`s larger for each panel is no big deal, as long as the amperage is comparable or better than the silicon…and they are.So you do not have buy the most expensive panels to get power.There are grid tied systems and stand alone systems..Mine is a stand alone (off grid) If the International banking cartel takes my house ,they cannot have my power plant,It can leave with me (non roof mounting).
The Alternative energy store http://www.altenergystore.com has been a real pleasure to work with and tons of help,very nice people. They can help answer many of your questions and the online store is loaded with info and products.I have purchased most of my solar products from them, after much research on many solar power product suppliers.
The system here was installed by myself,it is fairly simple and easy.It is electricity so there is a lot to take into account,Safety,wire size,fire,panel location..Grid tied ,not grid tied,battery backup or not,Grounding, building and electrical code..
More than can be discussed here,really it is not that difficult. hope this helped a bit.
My main reason for responding to this article is….
What is our perception of expensive? We as Americans seem to have no problem buying boats,motorhomes,motorcycles,fancy cars and such for tens of thousands of dollars with nothing but a stroke of the pen but when it comes to what we really need to do for family security,financial security,emergency security and what is neccesary for our habitation where we can rely on ourselves without intervention from the governments or banks….Its too expensive !!
An example;
Bankers interest they pay you is .098 on savings…. I know ,very exciting! (as I laugh) That is not a return on investment. The stock market fall cost many people,businesses,investors trillions. more than several times, Guesstimate around 40% loss of capital.CD`S pay nothing
Bonds nothing…Welcome to the Royal Scam.
The solar power system here keeps churning, saving me more than $500-600
a year,power when we need it, Its Quiet,does not pollute,after initial installation costs
are recovered ..ITS FREE.. It gives you a return that cannot be taken
(unless stolen possibly ).You can install a off-grid system by yourself saving contractor costs,upgrade anytime you want, as it is an expandable system.So to me,if, we have a bunch of toys in the garage or outside…you can afford solar and it would be only to your benefit.
It is no silver bullet but not any one technology is (at least what we are privy to) It took me a while to get my head straight and get off the fence and out of the chair also.It was/is a great learning experiance and fun installing your own personal power supply.
If people are using the excuse, ‘waiting for the price to come down’ that could be a long time coming. What prices in energy are coming down?
The price will only keep going up in my estimation.Crash of the dollar,hyperinflation,Bulk rate energy costs,funding nuclear plants,surcharges,taxes,taxes on the surcharges,surcharges on the taxes.
Management costs.
As an active solar power user,it is my opinion it is one of the best most rewarding things to become involved with.It pays me back every day month, year.
Barbara;
A “Utopian,toy technology at best left to the future” I disagree.Cash in the pocket. About one of the only toy`s that pays you back.
Of the people I know or, have read comments from that have solar,
None… regret having it. Like Astronomers they just dislike clouds in the way.
Interesting article, Dr. Kazmerski.
An idea about subsidies: right now probably isn’t the best time to go to any government entity hat in hand, not in the current economic climate. But there’s a company out West somewhere that leases solar panels instead of asking the full price up front, and that strikes me as a workable model, as long as the company can afford to wait to recover their money. That might be a more doable way to approach the high cost of panels, though that cost is dropping.
Ms. Francis, your comments puzzle me. While there well may be state and local subsidies available for solar some places, I don’t know of any federal ones. As for solar being somehow “utopian,” well, in primitive fashion we’ve been using it for thousands of years. Cost has been a major hurdle, and just an hour or two ago I read an article — by someone in the oil industry — who said that he supposes in just a few years both solar and wind stand a good chance to be able to match coal and nuclear on per-kilowatt cost. And both coal and nuclear present major waste-disposal problems, so they’re hardly utopian, either. But most astonishing is your assertion and follow-on statement that “[b]y contrast Big Oil is the self-funding, market based, indispensable proven adult in our economy. It would be nice to know better.” Self-funding? I don’t know about where you live, but in Texas the taxpayers pay a bundle that benefits not just the oil companies, but that does benefit them hugely. We pay for the police and fire protection — while big companies often get a tax holiday to entice them to come in. Ditto road construction, repair, and maintenance, and basic port construction. I could go on at considerably more length, but no, they’re not “self-funded,” not in the pure sense you apparently mean. They get plenty of help from the public coffers. Given they’re horrendous environmental record, they hardly give the impression of being the “adult” in the room.
Am I suggesting we can abandon fossil fuels and nuclear power overnight? Of course not; they’ll be critical parts of our energy equation for decades. But we need to get started — now — preparing for the day when oil, coal, and natural gas run out. Which will happen sooner or later, this side of a giant meteorite or some other global catastrophe coming out of the blue. And nuclear, despite an excellent record for years, is simply dangerous, both in the Chernobyl kind of way and in terms of the nuclear waste we’re stuck with.