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Solar power today costs 50% more than it did around 2020, even though solar panels themselves keep getting cheaper. John points out that people often confuse the cost of panels with the cost of power. "A solar panel doesn't get you what you want. You want electrons at the... show more

Patrick OShaughnessy

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167,663 views • 7 months ago •via X (Twitter)

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Elon Musk: If you covered the entire cleared area around a nuclear power station with solar panels, the solar panels would often produce more electricity than the nuclear plant itself. “If you take a nuclear power station and the whole clear area that's around it, it ends up being quite a bit of land. If you carpeted that land with solar panels, which would generate more, the nuclear power station or the solar panels? And usually, it's the solar panels. Now of course, you could always amp up the nuclear power station, but just taking the way things currently are, that's sort of an interesting data point. It's just to give you a sense of how much energy is hitting the Earth from the sun.” From: Interview at the EEI Annual Convention, June 11, 2015

Elon Musk: If you covered the entire cleared area around a nuclear power station with solar panels, the solar panels would often produce more electricity than the nuclear plant itself. “If you take a nuclear power station and the whole clear area that's around it, it ends up being quite a bit of land. If you carpeted that land with solar panels, which would generate more, the nuclear power station or the solar panels? And usually, it's the solar panels. Now of course, you could always amp up the nuclear power station, but just taking the way things currently are, that's sort of an interesting data point. It's just to give you a sense of how much energy is hitting the Earth from the sun.” From: Interview at the EEI Annual Convention, June 11, 2015

ELON CLIPS

52,173 views • 9 months ago

Here's a mind-blowing improvement which most people are unaware of: The cost of solar panels ($/watt), dropped by 400 times. Today solar electricity is cheaper than fossil fuels in many parts of the world.

Here's a mind-blowing improvement which most people are unaware of: The cost of solar panels ($/watt), dropped by 400 times. Today solar electricity is cheaper than fossil fuels in many parts of the world.

Gapminder

11,683 views • 2 years ago

Gigascale Founder and former Meta CTO Mike Schroepfer says new solar startups will go after installation costs rather than compete with China on solar panels. "If you look at a solar farm, you lay down all this steel and put up all this framing for the panels. When that panel was the most expensive thing on the field, then [startups producing solar panels] made sense." "But solar panels are now the cheapest thing in the field. All the rest of the stuff costs more than the panel." "I think what we're going to see is startups saying, 'Let's rethink how we actually deploy solar from a form-factor and automation perspective. And just go after installation costs.'"

Gigascale Founder and former Meta CTO Mike Schroepfer says new solar startups will go after installation costs rather than compete with China on solar panels. "If you look at a solar farm, you lay down all this steel and put up all this framing for the panels. When that panel was the most expensive thing on the field, then [startups producing solar panels] made sense." "But solar panels are now the cheapest thing in the field. All the rest of the stuff costs more than the panel." "I think what we're going to see is startups saying, 'Let's rethink how we actually deploy solar from a form-factor and automation perspective. And just go after installation costs.'"

TBPN

40,535 views • 4 months ago

If you look at the cost of solar power five years ago, 10 years ago, or 20 years ago, it would have seemed cost-prohibitive. But the cost of solar power today is extremely low. The cost of batteries to store that energy has also dropped dramatically. Battery storage costs have fallen by a factor of 10 in the past five years. So many of the studies that were done were done in times past, when batteries were very expensive and solar power was very expensive. I would just encourage everyone to take another look at the cost of solar and the cost of batteries. I think you’ll find that you’re pleasantly surprised. Elon Musk

If you look at the cost of solar power five years ago, 10 years ago, or 20 years ago, it would have seemed cost-prohibitive. But the cost of solar power today is extremely low. The cost of batteries to store that energy has also dropped dramatically. Battery storage costs have fallen by a factor of 10 in the past five years. So many of the studies that were done were done in times past, when batteries were very expensive and solar power was very expensive. I would just encourage everyone to take another look at the cost of solar and the cost of batteries. I think you’ll find that you’re pleasantly surprised. Elon Musk

Tesla Owners Silicon Valley

18,997 views • 5 months ago

Solar power is the future — it's rapidly getting cheaper and is inexhaustible. But, it only works 50% of the time... during the day. Reflect Orbital is challenging that by building a fleet of mirror satellites to power solar farms at night in Episode 50 of S³

Solar power is the future — it's rapidly getting cheaper and is inexhaustible. But, it only works 50% of the time... during the day. Reflect Orbital is challenging that by building a fleet of mirror satellites to power solar farms at night in Episode 50 of S³

Jason Carman

58,991 views • 2 years ago

Elon Musk predicts that more than 90% of Earth's power will eventually come from solar with batteries "Satellites are just solar panels and a battery. That’s how all satellites work. With the Starlink satellite network, there’s 7,000 (now ~10K) satellites orbiting the Earth, and all they use is solar panels and a battery My prediction is, long-term, a majority of power on Earth - in fact, eventually it might be like 90% or more- will be solar panels with batteries That's my prediction. My predictions have a pretty good track record" Starlink already proves it works at massive scale in space

Elon Musk predicts that more than 90% of Earth's power will eventually come from solar with batteries "Satellites are just solar panels and a battery. That’s how all satellites work. With the Starlink satellite network, there’s 7,000 (now ~10K) satellites orbiting the Earth, and all they use is solar panels and a battery My prediction is, long-term, a majority of power on Earth - in fact, eventually it might be like 90% or more- will be solar panels with batteries That's my prediction. My predictions have a pretty good track record" Starlink already proves it works at massive scale in space

X Freeze

27,772 views • 6 months ago

Why solar cannot realistically power the electricity grid. "To power 100,000 homes for one hour, you need 50,000 tonnes of solar panels." "If I want to produce this hour of electricity in the evening when the sun isn't shining, well then I need batteries." "For one hour of electricity for this 100,000 homes, you need... about two basketball courts worth of batteries." "But of course I have to charge these batteries, so that means I need additional solar in the grid so that we have an excess to charge them. So we add another [10,000 tonnes] of solar panels." "This is for one hour."

Why solar cannot realistically power the electricity grid. "To power 100,000 homes for one hour, you need 50,000 tonnes of solar panels." "If I want to produce this hour of electricity in the evening when the sun isn't shining, well then I need batteries." "For one hour of electricity for this 100,000 homes, you need... about two basketball courts worth of batteries." "But of course I have to charge these batteries, so that means I need additional solar in the grid so that we have an excess to charge them. So we add another [10,000 tonnes] of solar panels." "This is for one hour."

Wide Awake Media

132,080 views • 1 year ago

Elon Musk drops a reality check on the future of AI and power consumption — “If you look at electrical output... everywhere outside of China, it's more or less flat. But if you're putting data centers anywhere except China, where are you going to get your electricity, especially as you scale? So how are you going to turn the chips on?” While critics argue energy is a small slice of the cost, Musk points out the bottleneck isn't just cost—it's availability. With "gigantic" tariffs on solar imports and nightmare permit processes “Try getting the permits for that” — he argues the ground game is stalled. His solution? “You're going to get about 5 times the effectiveness of solar panels in space versus the ground.”

Elon Musk drops a reality check on the future of AI and power consumption — “If you look at electrical output... everywhere outside of China, it's more or less flat. But if you're putting data centers anywhere except China, where are you going to get your electricity, especially as you scale? So how are you going to turn the chips on?” While critics argue energy is a small slice of the cost, Musk points out the bottleneck isn't just cost—it's availability. With "gigantic" tariffs on solar imports and nightmare permit processes “Try getting the permits for that” — he argues the ground game is stalled. His solution? “You're going to get about 5 times the effectiveness of solar panels in space versus the ground.”

Ian Miles Cheong

18,438 views • 8 months ago

WORD ON THE STREET: A truck carrying solar panels crashed yesterday on the N3 at Peacevale, KZN. The community which is mainly of the Zulu tribe, hurried to loot the truck. But what shocked the driver was that they were not looting the solar panels. They were destroying the solar panels saying they prefer the aluminium which sells fast. MORE TO FOLLOW

WORD ON THE STREET: A truck carrying solar panels crashed yesterday on the N3 at Peacevale, KZN. The community which is mainly of the Zulu tribe, hurried to loot the truck. But what shocked the driver was that they were not looting the solar panels. They were destroying the solar panels saying they prefer the aluminium which sells fast. MORE TO FOLLOW

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒍𝒕 𝑶𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉

285,402 views • 14 days ago

Did you know that the government wants to charge you for the solar power that you don't use? This "sun tax" will charge you 1.2 cents per every kilowatt hour of energy your solar panels generate that you do not use. The sun tax will be mandatory in NSW form next year and it is spreading elsewhere next! Labor is now even taxing the sun!

Did you know that the government wants to charge you for the solar power that you don't use? This "sun tax" will charge you 1.2 cents per every kilowatt hour of energy your solar panels generate that you do not use. The sun tax will be mandatory in NSW form next year and it is spreading elsewhere next! Labor is now even taxing the sun!

Senator Matt Canavan

111,294 views • 1 year ago

Nearly 4,000 acres of prime Australian farmland are now buried beneath a sea of more than a million solar panels. Apparently, expensive and unreliable solar power is more important than growing the food necessary to keep everyone alive now.

Nearly 4,000 acres of prime Australian farmland are now buried beneath a sea of more than a million solar panels. Apparently, expensive and unreliable solar power is more important than growing the food necessary to keep everyone alive now.

Wide Awake Media

128,123 views • 1 year ago

Spencer Pratt drags Bill Maher out of his liberal bubble and brought him back down to earth. Maher was annoyed that Pratt didn’t know the specifics about taxes on solar powered energy, but Pratt humbled him with the REAL problems Angelenos care about. MAHER: “This is a state that is constantly overthinking everything, and over regulating everything.” “Trust me, I know. I did whole bits about how it took me three years to get the solar turned on.” “Solar! Something they want you to have!” PRATT: “But now they’re taxing you, I think, for having it.” MAHER: “They are?” PRATT: “I think so.” MAHER: “What do you mean you think so?! You have to know!” PRATT: “I don’t need to know about solar, you know?” “I need to focus on making sure the moms are safe and the animals are not being abused. That’s my party.” MAHER: “I know. but if you’re the mayor...” PRATT: “Solar panels, that’s going to be somebody I’m hiring. That’s my deputy mayor who’s going to worry about the solar panels.” MAHER: “No, Spencer. I got bad news. If you’re the mayor, you are going to have to learn some of these issues more intricately.” PRATT: “Solar panels...we’re about three years from worrying about solar panels.” “We need to get all of the naked drug addicts off of the sidewalks and then I can worry about solar panels.” MAHER: “We can’t walk and chew gum at the same time?” PRATT: “With the state of LA right now, solar panels, you’re gonna spit that gum out.”

Spencer Pratt drags Bill Maher out of his liberal bubble and brought him back down to earth. Maher was annoyed that Pratt didn’t know the specifics about taxes on solar powered energy, but Pratt humbled him with the REAL problems Angelenos care about. MAHER: “This is a state that is constantly overthinking everything, and over regulating everything.” “Trust me, I know. I did whole bits about how it took me three years to get the solar turned on.” “Solar! Something they want you to have!” PRATT: “But now they’re taxing you, I think, for having it.” MAHER: “They are?” PRATT: “I think so.” MAHER: “What do you mean you think so?! You have to know!” PRATT: “I don’t need to know about solar, you know?” “I need to focus on making sure the moms are safe and the animals are not being abused. That’s my party.” MAHER: “I know. but if you’re the mayor...” PRATT: “Solar panels, that’s going to be somebody I’m hiring. That’s my deputy mayor who’s going to worry about the solar panels.” MAHER: “No, Spencer. I got bad news. If you’re the mayor, you are going to have to learn some of these issues more intricately.” PRATT: “Solar panels...we’re about three years from worrying about solar panels.” “We need to get all of the naked drug addicts off of the sidewalks and then I can worry about solar panels.” MAHER: “We can’t walk and chew gum at the same time?” PRATT: “With the state of LA right now, solar panels, you’re gonna spit that gum out.”

Overton

1,164,122 views • 4 months ago

ELON MUSK: "When you have solar in space, you get five times more effectiveness, maybe even more than that, than solar on the ground, because it's always cold, so you don't have a day, night cycle or weather, and you get about 30% more power in space because you don't have atmospheric attenuation of the power, the net effect in solar is five times more. Any given solar panel will do five times more energy in space than on the ground."

ELON MUSK: "When you have solar in space, you get five times more effectiveness, maybe even more than that, than solar on the ground, because it's always cold, so you don't have a day, night cycle or weather, and you get about 30% more power in space because you don't have atmospheric attenuation of the power, the net effect in solar is five times more. Any given solar panel will do five times more energy in space than on the ground."

DogeDesigner

35,114 views • 8 months ago

Elon Musk: Solar is already the source of the vast majority of Earth's energy. “A lot of people would say, well solar, can that really provide the energy that we need? A lot of people don't perhaps appreciate that solar energy is already the source of the vast majority of Earth's energy. Without solar power, we would be a frozen ice ball at about 3 or 4 degrees above absolute zero. So really, all we're talking about for solar electricity is taking the tiny, tiny bit of energy that humanity needs for electricity, which I emphasize is super tiny compared to the amount of solar energy that hits the Earth. You could generate all the electricity that the United States needs with about a 100 mile by 100 mile grid of solar power. So you just take like a corner of Arizona, and that would be all the energy that the United States needs.” From: / Youtube, December 4, 2011

Elon Musk: Solar is already the source of the vast majority of Earth's energy. “A lot of people would say, well solar, can that really provide the energy that we need? A lot of people don't perhaps appreciate that solar energy is already the source of the vast majority of Earth's energy. Without solar power, we would be a frozen ice ball at about 3 or 4 degrees above absolute zero. So really, all we're talking about for solar electricity is taking the tiny, tiny bit of energy that humanity needs for electricity, which I emphasize is super tiny compared to the amount of solar energy that hits the Earth. You could generate all the electricity that the United States needs with about a 100 mile by 100 mile grid of solar power. So you just take like a corner of Arizona, and that would be all the energy that the United States needs.” From: / Youtube, December 4, 2011

ELON CLIPS

39,698 views • 1 year ago