What is the energy payback time of solar panels, in hours?What is the typical embodied energy of a solar photovoltaic panel?Estimating the cost of solar panels and return time?Which solar power technology has the highest energy return on investment (EROI aka EROEI)?How do I keep my solar panels clean?What is the difference between “hydro” and “tidal/wave”? And what is the difference between “solar (heat)” and “solar panels”?Can solar energy be too focused onto a solar cell?Solar PV panels - Worth the cost of more efficient panels?How much energy costs do portable solar panels save in a house?Transmit solar over multiple time-zones?Low-cost solar energy alternatives to power a single appliance in an apartment?What is the typical embodied energy of a solar photovoltaic panel?
What is this Amiga 1200 mod?
What STL algorithm can determine if exactly one item in a container satisfies a predicate?
What is the best color to differentiate male and female?
Rail-to-rail op-amp only reaches 90% of VCC, works sometimes, not everytime
How to befriend someone who doesn't like to talk?
Why Does Mama Coco Look Old After Going to the Other World?
Was Self-modifying-code possible just using BASIC?
Is it possible to fly backward if you have really strong headwind?
Can we completely replace inheritance using strategy pattern and dependency injection?
Can the removal of a duty-free sales trolley result in a measurable reduction in emissions?
How do free-speech protections in the United States apply in public to corporate misrepresentations?
Does a bank have to tell me if a check made out to me was cashed there?
Can a human be transformed into a Mind Flayer?
How can powerful telekinesis avoid violating Newton's 3rd Law?
Is there a set of positive integers of density 1 which contains no infinite arithmetic progression?
Who is "He that flies" in Lord of the Rings?
Is Lambda Calculus purely syntactic?
Increase speed altering column on large table to NON NULL
Ability To Change Root User Password (Vulnerability?)
60s or 70s novel about Empire of Man making 1st contact with 1st discovered alien race
Who voices the small round football sized demon in Good Omens?
Why is long-term living in Almost-Earth causing severe health problems?
tabular: caption and align problem
Is it safe to change the harddrive power feature so that it never turns off?
What is the energy payback time of solar panels, in hours?
What is the typical embodied energy of a solar photovoltaic panel?Estimating the cost of solar panels and return time?Which solar power technology has the highest energy return on investment (EROI aka EROEI)?How do I keep my solar panels clean?What is the difference between “hydro” and “tidal/wave”? And what is the difference between “solar (heat)” and “solar panels”?Can solar energy be too focused onto a solar cell?Solar PV panels - Worth the cost of more efficient panels?How much energy costs do portable solar panels save in a house?Transmit solar over multiple time-zones?Low-cost solar energy alternatives to power a single appliance in an apartment?What is the typical embodied energy of a solar photovoltaic panel?
I'm interested in knowing the typical energy pay-back time of a solar photovoltaic panel, in terms of hours operating under an ideal scenario.
Energy pay-back time (EPBT) is usually quoted in terms of years, and often discussed in the context of permanent installations like power stations or rooftop solar. These discussions often include factors like average annual insolation. However, I'm interested in evaluating solar PV devices at the personal scale and might be used while backpacking, canoeing, or other wilderness adventure, where average annual insolation isn't really relevant because the device isn't used every day, and isn't used evenly throughout the year.
energy photovoltaics
asked 8 hours ago
NicNic
675516
add a comment |
I'm interested in knowing the typical energy pay-back time of a solar photovoltaic panel, in terms of hours operating under an ideal scenario.
Energy pay-back time (EPBT) is usually quoted in terms of years, and often discussed in the context of permanent installations like power stations or rooftop solar. These discussions often include factors like average annual insolation. However, I'm interested in evaluating solar PV devices at the personal scale and might be used while backpacking, canoeing, or other wilderness adventure, where average annual insolation isn't really relevant because the device isn't used every day, and isn't used evenly throughout the year.
energy photovoltaics
asked 8 hours ago
NicNic
675516
Yes this is similar to my other question but I think it's different enough to not consider it a duplicate.
– Nic
8 hours ago
1
Given that static PV arrays, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years, there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself. If it takes ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for 42 years before you reach payback. Are you sure you're asking the right question? Portable PV has always been about convenience, not payback.
– Tim
7 hours ago
So "tens of thousands of hours" is what I'm hearing. Thanks, that answers my question.
– Nic
6 hours ago
Ah, ok. Wasn't meant to be an answer, but since you found it useful, I turned it into one. Updated the EPBT while I was at it.
– Tim
5 hours ago
add a comment |
I'm interested in knowing the typical energy pay-back time of a solar photovoltaic panel, in terms of hours operating under an ideal scenario.
Energy pay-back time (EPBT) is usually quoted in terms of years, and often discussed in the context of permanent installations like power stations or rooftop solar. These discussions often include factors like average annual insolation. However, I'm interested in evaluating solar PV devices at the personal scale and might be used while backpacking, canoeing, or other wilderness adventure, where average annual insolation isn't really relevant because the device isn't used every day, and isn't used evenly throughout the year.
energy photovoltaics
asked 8 hours ago
NicNic
675516
I'm interested in knowing the typical energy pay-back time of a solar photovoltaic panel, in terms of hours operating under an ideal scenario.
Energy pay-back time (EPBT) is usually quoted in terms of years, and often discussed in the context of permanent installations like power stations or rooftop solar. These discussions often include factors like average annual insolation. However, I'm interested in evaluating solar PV devices at the personal scale and might be used while backpacking, canoeing, or other wilderness adventure, where average annual insolation isn't really relevant because the device isn't used every day, and isn't used evenly throughout the year.
energy photovoltaics
energy photovoltaics
asked 8 hours ago
NicNic
675516
asked 8 hours ago
NicNic
675516
asked 8 hours ago
NicNic
675516
asked 8 hours ago
NicNic
675516
asked 8 hours ago
NicNic
675516
675516
Yes this is similar to my other question but I think it's different enough to not consider it a duplicate.
– Nic
8 hours ago
1
Given that static PV arrays, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years, there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself. If it takes ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for 42 years before you reach payback. Are you sure you're asking the right question? Portable PV has always been about convenience, not payback.
– Tim
7 hours ago
So "tens of thousands of hours" is what I'm hearing. Thanks, that answers my question.
– Nic
6 hours ago
Ah, ok. Wasn't meant to be an answer, but since you found it useful, I turned it into one. Updated the EPBT while I was at it.
– Tim
5 hours ago
add a comment |
Yes this is similar to my other question but I think it's different enough to not consider it a duplicate.
– Nic
8 hours ago
1
Given that static PV arrays, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years, there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself. If it takes ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for 42 years before you reach payback. Are you sure you're asking the right question? Portable PV has always been about convenience, not payback.
– Tim
7 hours ago
So "tens of thousands of hours" is what I'm hearing. Thanks, that answers my question.
– Nic
6 hours ago
Ah, ok. Wasn't meant to be an answer, but since you found it useful, I turned it into one. Updated the EPBT while I was at it.
– Tim
5 hours ago
Yes this is similar to my other question but I think it's different enough to not consider it a duplicate.
– Nic
8 hours ago
Yes this is similar to my other question but I think it's different enough to not consider it a duplicate.
– Nic
8 hours ago
1
1
Given that static PV arrays, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years, there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself. If it takes ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for 42 years before you reach payback. Are you sure you're asking the right question? Portable PV has always been about convenience, not payback.
– Tim
7 hours ago
Given that static PV arrays, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years, there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself. If it takes ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for 42 years before you reach payback. Are you sure you're asking the right question? Portable PV has always been about convenience, not payback.
– Tim
7 hours ago
So "tens of thousands of hours" is what I'm hearing. Thanks, that answers my question.
– Nic
6 hours ago
So "tens of thousands of hours" is what I'm hearing. Thanks, that answers my question.
– Nic
6 hours ago
Ah, ok. Wasn't meant to be an answer, but since you found it useful, I turned it into one. Updated the EPBT while I was at it.
– Tim
5 hours ago
Ah, ok. Wasn't meant to be an answer, but since you found it useful, I turned it into one. Updated the EPBT while I was at it.
– Tim
5 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
Given that static photovoltaic arrays, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years (according to NREL in 2004), there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself.
If it takes (3*365=) ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for (4400/2/52=) ~42 years before you reach payback.
Portable solar power generation has always been about convenience, not payback.
Update: Fraunhofer (in 2018) revised EPBT in northern Europe to 2.5 years, and southern Europe to 1.5 years. If we split the difference, and call it 2 years, you're still looking at having to adventure every weekend for 28 years before the panels break even. About (365*2=) 730 full-exposure days (~8,800 hours) are what you currently need in mid-latitude-Europe/USA. No doubt that figure will continue to reduce slowly over time, but it is still substantial and will remain so for a very long time.
answered 5 hours ago
TimTim
2,012218
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function()
var channelOptions =
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "483"
;
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function()
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled)
StackExchange.using("snippets", function()
createEditor();
);
else
createEditor();
);
function createEditor()
StackExchange.prepareEditor(
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader:
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
,
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
);
);
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fsustainability.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f8320%2fwhat-is-the-energy-payback-time-of-solar-panels-in-hours%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Given that static photovoltaic arrays, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years (according to NREL in 2004), there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself.
If it takes (3*365=) ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for (4400/2/52=) ~42 years before you reach payback.
Portable solar power generation has always been about convenience, not payback.
Update: Fraunhofer (in 2018) revised EPBT in northern Europe to 2.5 years, and southern Europe to 1.5 years. If we split the difference, and call it 2 years, you're still looking at having to adventure every weekend for 28 years before the panels break even. About (365*2=) 730 full-exposure days (~8,800 hours) are what you currently need in mid-latitude-Europe/USA. No doubt that figure will continue to reduce slowly over time, but it is still substantial and will remain so for a very long time.
answered 5 hours ago
TimTim
2,012218
add a comment |
Given that static photovoltaic arrays, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years (according to NREL in 2004), there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself.
If it takes (3*365=) ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for (4400/2/52=) ~42 years before you reach payback.
Portable solar power generation has always been about convenience, not payback.
Update: Fraunhofer (in 2018) revised EPBT in northern Europe to 2.5 years, and southern Europe to 1.5 years. If we split the difference, and call it 2 years, you're still looking at having to adventure every weekend for 28 years before the panels break even. About (365*2=) 730 full-exposure days (~8,800 hours) are what you currently need in mid-latitude-Europe/USA. No doubt that figure will continue to reduce slowly over time, but it is still substantial and will remain so for a very long time.
answered 5 hours ago
TimTim
2,012218
add a comment |
Given that static photovoltaic arrays, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years (according to NREL in 2004), there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself.
If it takes (3*365=) ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for (4400/2/52=) ~42 years before you reach payback.
Portable solar power generation has always been about convenience, not payback.
Update: Fraunhofer (in 2018) revised EPBT in northern Europe to 2.5 years, and southern Europe to 1.5 years. If we split the difference, and call it 2 years, you're still looking at having to adventure every weekend for 28 years before the panels break even. About (365*2=) 730 full-exposure days (~8,800 hours) are what you currently need in mid-latitude-Europe/USA. No doubt that figure will continue to reduce slowly over time, but it is still substantial and will remain so for a very long time.
answered 5 hours ago
TimTim
2,012218
Given that static photovoltaic arrays, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years (according to NREL in 2004), there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself.
If it takes (3*365=) ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for (4400/2/52=) ~42 years before you reach payback.
Portable solar power generation has always been about convenience, not payback.
Update: Fraunhofer (in 2018) revised EPBT in northern Europe to 2.5 years, and southern Europe to 1.5 years. If we split the difference, and call it 2 years, you're still looking at having to adventure every weekend for 28 years before the panels break even. About (365*2=) 730 full-exposure days (~8,800 hours) are what you currently need in mid-latitude-Europe/USA. No doubt that figure will continue to reduce slowly over time, but it is still substantial and will remain so for a very long time.
answered 5 hours ago
TimTim
2,012218
edited 5 hours ago
answered 5 hours ago
TimTim
2,012218
answered 5 hours ago
TimTim
2,012218
answered 5 hours ago
TimTim
2,012218
2,012218
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to Sustainable Living Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fsustainability.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f8320%2fwhat-is-the-energy-payback-time-of-solar-panels-in-hours%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Yes this is similar to my other question but I think it's different enough to not consider it a duplicate.
– Nic
8 hours ago
1
Given that static PV arrays, exposed to the sun all day every day, might pay themselves off in 3 years, there is an extremely high probability that a portable solar panel — used relatively infrequently and under sub-optimal conditions — would never pay for itself. If it takes ~1100 days at full exposure, or ~4400 days at sub-optimal/quarter exposure, you'd need to spend every single weekend 'adventuring' for 42 years before you reach payback. Are you sure you're asking the right question? Portable PV has always been about convenience, not payback.
– Tim
7 hours ago
So "tens of thousands of hours" is what I'm hearing. Thanks, that answers my question.
– Nic
6 hours ago
Ah, ok. Wasn't meant to be an answer, but since you found it useful, I turned it into one. Updated the EPBT while I was at it.
– Tim
5 hours ago