CATEGORY - SOLAR

Articles

Observer - Why aren't we warming to solar? - Good question, and start to kick off with.
Observer - Solar so good for our house - It doesn't look like Nevada, so what's good enough for him...? Note the caveat, mind.
Guardian - Keep on the sunny side - Concentrating Solar Power
Junkk (et all) - o-solar-mi-o-mi
Got this in a forum: Is $339,000 For This Green Solar-Roof Home In Chicago Affordable? - Kind of depends what one means by 'affordable', I guess.The maths is pretty well laid out in the piece, though there are of course imponderables on future costs/values that make them best guesses. There's also whether you are 'affording' it to save and/or make money on operational costs & added value at resale over the duration of habitation, or 'affording' it to reduce one's emissions (after construction contribution) on an enviROI+ measure, without being so worried about money.
Greenbang - Carrot wins, Aussies go solar - It's worth repeating...'Carrot wins'
Indy - Solar panels 'not cost effective' - Hmnn. Do, should they mean yet? enviROI?
In reply - Letters
Greenbang - 208 years to pay back cost of solar panels? - Of course, making money need not be an issue at all to some, but this does seem to suggest the numbers on any count are hard to come by to make an informed decision.
Telegraph - What's the point of solar panels?
Mongabay.com - Solar cells, flat-panel screens are source of potent greenhouse gas - certainly a potential back-of-mind aspect in enviROI calculations
Indy - Solar panels 'take 100 years to pay back installation costs' - making a good choice is certainly not easy. Maybe procrastination pays.
Times - Greenhouse effects: Smarter Energy PV panels - Useful!
Times - Solar panels in the Sahara 'could power the whole of Europe' - I'd love to go along, but there's that word again. Promising, but I had read about this before, and there was some debate about the scouring effect of sand on the mirrors and the drop of inefficiency over distance the 'leccy gets sent. Any mention of that?
Guardian - Starving UK plc's green energy shoots - Normally I wouldn't link to such as this, as I share some thread posters' disquiet about the medium handing over an admittedly commentary-oriented piece to an author with a clearly subjective view, at least with no mention of what it might be. However, there are some interesting points, and numbers, especially in the thread.
Guardian - Concentrated solar power could generate 'quarter of world's energy' - Note my favourite word in that headline.
Telegraph - NEW - Why Whitehall hates solar panels - Perversely, part of me would wish they were actually smart enough to be that venal in support of their own petty interests. The piece, and some comments, does make me keen to see how solar has progressed to be viable on these shores which, let's face it, are not that sunny.

Grants

lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

Information

Smart Planet - NEW - How does a solar cell work? - I miss Tomorrow's World.. and Look & Learn.

Trendhunter - Top 100 Solar Inventions - Part I: Gadgets & Fashion (SUPER GALLERY) - heck of a start, I'd say!

Part II - Though how what gets in does and what doesn't hasn't I have no clue. I'll keep looking for more 'down to earth' examples as they come by.

Suppliers

Solartrac
Solartwin
Solarventi
trianco -
windandsun.co.uk -

See labels below, especially under 'Alt. Energy' for previous notes. If you have anything to add to the headings above... share 'em! Direct to info[at]junkk.com or via the comments on the blog.