Google to run on solar power (sort of)

[LMagic007]

Originally Posted by jonnyb13

how can 9 solar cells power a home, It says 9000 solar cells are to be used, Enough to power 1000 homes

I would assume on that basis they meant 9000 solar panels and not cells. On that basis thats 9 panels per home which sounds about right.

Actually the first article says 9200 solar panels and the Google article says 9,212 solar panels, so that makes complete sense.

[arno]

BOSTON--When it comes to bragging rights and solar power, Google's on top: it has the largest corporate installation of solar-powered electricity yet.

But that apparently is just the beginning. The search giant is also considering other forms of renewable energy, according to Robyn Beavers, the director of environmental programs at Google. Google intends to generate 50 megawatts of electricity from renewable forms for its operations by 2012.

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9807330-7.html

[LMagic007]

Well I guess one could guestimate this scenario. Hypothesise a scenario of 9000 x 200 watt Panels x 5 average full sun hours a day is 9,000,000 watt hours being 9,000 kwh generated per day. If electricity costs 14c per kwh that's a daily saving of $1,260.

Consider that might be about the cost one 1 solar panel, including installation costs. Thus each day one panel is cost recovered. Hmm this suggests 9000 day cost recovery being 24.65 years being about the useful life of a typical solar panel.

To be truely green you would need to add the carbon manufacturing footprint greenhouse gas recovery period.

Just a thought.

The Kyocera KC200GT suggests a 25 year useful life with output loss of no more than 20% within 25 years of purchase date. Thus some payback may be diminished, but with tax right offs, you would probably replace them well before 25 years, so it sounds like a fair deal.

[gamer1]

I haven't heard about this story. I think it's great that Google made this move.

[aliendroid]

The one thing you aren't considering is that the state of california pays for about half of the solar power systems right now. So divide the payback time in half.