Solar Panels vs. Biofuels
It is commonly known that all energy sources are directly or indirectly from the Sun, either as stored energy such as petroleum or coal or as direct transferred energy such as photosynthesis or solar panel.
Stored energy = Conversion efficiency from biomass to fossil fuel * Annual biomass energy production * Time of biomass production
If the conversion efficiency from biomass to fossil fuel is 1%, the total biomass production time 3 billion years. Then the stored energy is about 30 million times of the annual biomass energy production.
Currently the most efficient man-made solar devices can convert solar energy about 1/3 of the efficiency of photosynthesis. The currently available commercial solar panel can be about 30% efficient. The photosynthesis efficiency is over 90%. Over the years, the efficiency of artificial devices can increase. Ultimately they may reach the efficiency of plant photosynthesis. Even then, the stored energy is still million times of the annual solar energy production.
From the sustainable development point of views, the solar panels can ultimately become of the solutions of energy needs. There will be many other forms of alternative energy production, such as bio-energy, wind power, hydropower, nuclear power, geothermal power, and fossil fuel power.
Energy produced from solar panels has limited energy intensity. This makes it very hard to be attached to any mobile devices such as airplanes, trains, automobiles, even cellular phones.
Solar panels will have to compete with fuels made form biomass. Currently ethanol made from agricultural products like corn or sugar cane is already in hot demand. Research studies to convert other form of biomass like trees or grass to fuels are already moved from university labs to corporate labs.
In other words, solar panels are in competition with leaves.
12/20/2008 Jatropha seeds contain 30 to 40% of oil content. Its yield is about 8 tons per hectare per year. Jatropha can be an excellent plants for producing biofuels.
01/11/2008 Switchgrass can yield 5 to 11 metric tons of grass bales per hectare depending on rainfall. It is a potential ethanol-producing grass.
01/13/2008 GM's investment in Coskata Energy seemed very interesting. Coskata use syngas generated from a gasification process developed by Westinghouse to produce ethanol using natural microorganisms (bio-fermentation). http://www.coskataenergy.com/
Stored energy = Conversion efficiency from biomass to fossil fuel * Annual biomass energy production * Time of biomass production
If the conversion efficiency from biomass to fossil fuel is 1%, the total biomass production time 3 billion years. Then the stored energy is about 30 million times of the annual biomass energy production.
Currently the most efficient man-made solar devices can convert solar energy about 1/3 of the efficiency of photosynthesis. The currently available commercial solar panel can be about 30% efficient. The photosynthesis efficiency is over 90%. Over the years, the efficiency of artificial devices can increase. Ultimately they may reach the efficiency of plant photosynthesis. Even then, the stored energy is still million times of the annual solar energy production.
From the sustainable development point of views, the solar panels can ultimately become of the solutions of energy needs. There will be many other forms of alternative energy production, such as bio-energy, wind power, hydropower, nuclear power, geothermal power, and fossil fuel power.
Energy produced from solar panels has limited energy intensity. This makes it very hard to be attached to any mobile devices such as airplanes, trains, automobiles, even cellular phones.
Solar panels will have to compete with fuels made form biomass. Currently ethanol made from agricultural products like corn or sugar cane is already in hot demand. Research studies to convert other form of biomass like trees or grass to fuels are already moved from university labs to corporate labs.
In other words, solar panels are in competition with leaves.
12/20/2008 Jatropha seeds contain 30 to 40% of oil content. Its yield is about 8 tons per hectare per year. Jatropha can be an excellent plants for producing biofuels.
01/11/2008 Switchgrass can yield 5 to 11 metric tons of grass bales per hectare depending on rainfall. It is a potential ethanol-producing grass.
01/13/2008 GM's investment in Coskata Energy seemed very interesting. Coskata use syngas generated from a gasification process developed by Westinghouse to produce ethanol using natural microorganisms (bio-fermentation). http://www.coskataenergy.com/
posted by Unknown at 9:42 AM
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