HW#6
1.
(50%) Solar
PV: “Is the glass half empty or half full?”
Case A: One might spend about $10,000 on a solar PV system rated at about 1 kw-electric and find that it would produce not much more electrical power on average than that required to operate a 100 watt light bulb. This doesn’t appear to be a case of money well spent.
Case B: On the other hand, a solar PV system of $10,000 and 1 kw-electric might, over its lifetime, be able to generate electricity at a cost almost as low as 10 ˘/kwh. This might be a prudent investment.
Your task: Explain (confirm) the numbers for cases A and B, and the assumptions and conditions used. Are both cases right? Are both cases wrong? Or is one case right and the other wrong? Explain the apparent paradox presented by these two cases.
2. (50%) Solar energy offers environmental benefits compared to other methods of generating electricity. However, all electricity generating technologies, including solar, have environmental impacts. Please do a bit of looking into the environmental impacts of solar thermal electric and solar PV. Then write up your findings in about 2 or 3 pages of double spaced type.