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What is the energy payback time of portable solar panels, in hours?
Estimating the cost of solar panels and return time?Want to build a portable solar refrigeratorWhich solar power technology has the highest energy return on investment (EROI aka EROEI)?What is the difference between “hydro” and “tidal/wave”? And what is the difference between “solar (heat)” and “solar panels”?Can solar energy be too focused onto a solar cell?Solar PV panels - Worth the cost of more efficient panels?How much energy costs do portable solar panels save in a house?Transmit solar over multiple time-zones?Low-cost solar energy alternatives to power a single appliance in an apartment?What is the typical embodied energy of a solar photovoltaic panel?
I'm interested in knowing the typical energy pay-back time of a solar photovoltaic panel, in terms of hours operating under an ideal scenario.
Energy pay-back time (EPBT) is usually quoted in terms of years, and often discussed in the context of permanent installations like power stations or rooftop solar. These discussions often include factors like average annual insolation. However, I'm interested in evaluating solar PV devices at the personal scale and might be used while backpacking, canoeing, or other wilderness adventure, where average annual insolation isn't really relevant because the device isn't used every day, and isn't used evenly throughout the year.
energy photovoltaics
edited Jun 9 at 9:30
THelper♦
10.5k643120
asked Jun 8 at 20:56
NicNic
682516
add a comment |
I'm interested in knowing the typical energy pay-back time of a solar photovoltaic panel, in terms of hours operating under an ideal scenario.
Energy pay-back time (EPBT) is usually quoted in terms of years, and often discussed in the context of permanent installations like power stations or rooftop solar. These discussions often include factors like average annual insolation. However, I'm interested in evaluating solar PV devices at the personal scale and might be used while backpacking, canoeing, or other wilderness adventure, where average annual insolation isn't really relevant because the device isn't used every day, and isn't used evenly throughout the year.
energy photovoltaics
edited Jun 9 at 9:30
THelper♦
10.5k643120
asked Jun 8 at 20:56
NicNic
682516
For static installations, we get payback time by using the price of energy from other available sources. The alternative source for a portable solar panels should be batteries, because there is not available wall plug, and since batteries are way more expensive payback time could be very short.
– Pere
Jun 9 at 11:17
@Pere My question is about payback of energy, not currency.
– Nic
Jun 9 at 16:10
add a comment |
I'm interested in knowing the typical energy pay-back time of a solar photovoltaic panel, in terms of hours operating under an ideal scenario.
Energy pay-back time (EPBT) is usually quoted in terms of years, and often discussed in the context of permanent installations like power stations or rooftop solar. These discussions often include factors like average annual insolation. However, I'm interested in evaluating solar PV devices at the personal scale and might be used while backpacking, canoeing, or other wilderness adventure, where average annual insolation isn't really relevant because the device isn't used every day, and isn't used evenly throughout the year.
energy photovoltaics
edited Jun 9 at 9:30
THelper♦
10.5k643120
asked Jun 8 at 20:56
NicNic
682516
I'm interested in knowing the typical energy pay-back time of a solar photovoltaic panel, in terms of hours operating under an ideal scenario.
Energy pay-back time (EPBT) is usually quoted in terms of years, and often discussed in the context of permanent installations like power stations or rooftop solar. These discussions often include factors like average annual insolation. However, I'm interested in evaluating solar PV devices at the personal scale and might be used while backpacking, canoeing, or other wilderness adventure, where average annual insolation isn't really relevant because the device isn't used every day, and isn't used evenly throughout the year.
energy photovoltaics
energy photovoltaics
edited Jun 9 at 9:30
THelper♦
10.5k643120
asked Jun 8 at 20:56
NicNic
682516
edited Jun 9 at 9:30
THelper♦
10.5k643120
asked Jun 8 at 20:56
NicNic
682516
edited Jun 9 at 9:30
THelper♦
10.5k643120
edited Jun 9 at 9:30
THelper♦
10.5k643120
edited Jun 9 at 9:30
THelper♦
10.5k643120
10.5k643120
asked Jun 8 at 20:56
NicNic
682516
asked Jun 8 at 20:56
NicNic
682516
asked Jun 8 at 20:56
NicNic
682516
682516
For static installations, we get payback time by using the price of energy from other available sources. The alternative source for a portable solar panels should be batteries, because there is not available wall plug, and since batteries are way more expensive payback time could be very short.
– Pere
Jun 9 at 11:17
@Pere My question is about payback of energy, not currency.
– Nic
Jun 9 at 16:10
add a comment |
For static installations, we get payback time by using the price of energy from other available sources. The alternative source for a portable solar panels should be batteries, because there is not available wall plug, and since batteries are way more expensive payback time could be very short.
– Pere
Jun 9 at 11:17
@Pere My question is about payback of energy, not currency.
– Nic
Jun 9 at 16:10
For static installations, we get payback time by using the price of energy from other available sources. The alternative source for a portable solar panels should be batteries, because there is not available wall plug, and since batteries are way more expensive payback time could be very short.
– Pere
Jun 9 at 11:17
For static installations, we get payback time by using the price of energy from other available sources. The alternative source for a portable solar panels should be batteries, because there is not available wall plug, and since batteries are way more expensive payback time could be very short.
– Pere
Jun 9 at 11:17
@Pere My question is about payback of energy, not currency.
– Nic
Jun 9 at 16:10
@Pere My question is about payback of energy, not currency.
– Nic
Jun 9 at 16:10
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
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Given that static, thin-film photovoltaic panels, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years (according to NREL in 2004), there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself.
If it takes (3*365=) ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for (4400/2/52=) ~42 years before you reach payback.
Portable solar power generation has always been about convenience, not payback.
Update: Fraunhofer (in 2018) revised EPBT in northern Europe to 2.5 years, and southern Europe to 1.5 years. If we split the difference, and call it 2 years, you're still looking at having to adventure every weekend for 28 years before the panels break even. About (365*2=) 730 full-exposure days (~8,800 hours) are what you currently need in mid-latitude-Europe/USA. No doubt that figure will continue to reduce slowly over time, but it is still substantial and will remain so for a very long time.
answered Jun 8 at 23:59
TimTim
2,047218
add a comment |
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Given that static, thin-film photovoltaic panels, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years (according to NREL in 2004), there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself.
If it takes (3*365=) ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for (4400/2/52=) ~42 years before you reach payback.
Portable solar power generation has always been about convenience, not payback.
Update: Fraunhofer (in 2018) revised EPBT in northern Europe to 2.5 years, and southern Europe to 1.5 years. If we split the difference, and call it 2 years, you're still looking at having to adventure every weekend for 28 years before the panels break even. About (365*2=) 730 full-exposure days (~8,800 hours) are what you currently need in mid-latitude-Europe/USA. No doubt that figure will continue to reduce slowly over time, but it is still substantial and will remain so for a very long time.
answered Jun 8 at 23:59
TimTim
2,047218
add a comment |
Given that static, thin-film photovoltaic panels, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years (according to NREL in 2004), there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself.
If it takes (3*365=) ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for (4400/2/52=) ~42 years before you reach payback.
Portable solar power generation has always been about convenience, not payback.
Update: Fraunhofer (in 2018) revised EPBT in northern Europe to 2.5 years, and southern Europe to 1.5 years. If we split the difference, and call it 2 years, you're still looking at having to adventure every weekend for 28 years before the panels break even. About (365*2=) 730 full-exposure days (~8,800 hours) are what you currently need in mid-latitude-Europe/USA. No doubt that figure will continue to reduce slowly over time, but it is still substantial and will remain so for a very long time.
answered Jun 8 at 23:59
TimTim
2,047218
add a comment |
Given that static, thin-film photovoltaic panels, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years (according to NREL in 2004), there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself.
If it takes (3*365=) ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for (4400/2/52=) ~42 years before you reach payback.
Portable solar power generation has always been about convenience, not payback.
Update: Fraunhofer (in 2018) revised EPBT in northern Europe to 2.5 years, and southern Europe to 1.5 years. If we split the difference, and call it 2 years, you're still looking at having to adventure every weekend for 28 years before the panels break even. About (365*2=) 730 full-exposure days (~8,800 hours) are what you currently need in mid-latitude-Europe/USA. No doubt that figure will continue to reduce slowly over time, but it is still substantial and will remain so for a very long time.
answered Jun 8 at 23:59
TimTim
2,047218
Given that static, thin-film photovoltaic panels, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years (according to NREL in 2004), there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself.
If it takes (3*365=) ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for (4400/2/52=) ~42 years before you reach payback.
Portable solar power generation has always been about convenience, not payback.
Update: Fraunhofer (in 2018) revised EPBT in northern Europe to 2.5 years, and southern Europe to 1.5 years. If we split the difference, and call it 2 years, you're still looking at having to adventure every weekend for 28 years before the panels break even. About (365*2=) 730 full-exposure days (~8,800 hours) are what you currently need in mid-latitude-Europe/USA. No doubt that figure will continue to reduce slowly over time, but it is still substantial and will remain so for a very long time.
answered Jun 8 at 23:59
TimTim
2,047218
edited Jun 9 at 21:26
answered Jun 8 at 23:59
TimTim
2,047218
answered Jun 8 at 23:59
TimTim
2,047218
answered Jun 8 at 23:59
TimTim
2,047218
2,047218
add a comment |
add a comment |
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For static installations, we get payback time by using the price of energy from other available sources. The alternative source for a portable solar panels should be batteries, because there is not available wall plug, and since batteries are way more expensive payback time could be very short.
– Pere
Jun 9 at 11:17
@Pere My question is about payback of energy, not currency.
– Nic
Jun 9 at 16:10