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LouSanous t1_iy45muh wrote

Reply to comment by a11en in News Release: NREL Creates Highest Efficiency 1-Sun Solar Cell - 39.5% efficiency by TimeSpentWasting

>solar efficiency and limitations

It's really important to note that this "limitation" isn't much of a limitation.

There is functionally infinite sun. The amount of energy reaching the earth at sea level from the sun every second is well over 100 times the total yearly energy consumption of the entire world.

Modern nuclear uses only 5% of the energy in the fuel. Then, the conversion to electricity is somewhere around 35%. So from the energy contained in the fuel, nuclear is about 1.75% efficient.

Coal plants are around 35% as well.

Combined cycle gas is 55-60%.

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a11en t1_iy4els3 wrote

Combustion is still the most energy efficient.

And Nuclear would be more efficient if they allowed refacing/recycling the rods.

Believe me- the MOCVD toll is huge and does play a factor. We don’t pay attention to cradle to grave, and it’s absurd not to. (Used to be the thing to do- for example for plastics- why ignore it for solar and wind?)

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LouSanous t1_iy4f2dz wrote

Everything not directly a part of profits in capitalism in an externality.

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