Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Money Making Scheme

I saw this posted on Facebook:

Local farmer produces solar power but wants to produce more, looks into it and finds out that high powered floodlights can be used to generate power at night but this uses twice as much energy than it creates.....

no problem.

Contracted unit price per unit 7 pence, feed-in tariff price per unit 44 pence
2 units @ 14p = 1 unit @ 44p = profit 30p

The floodlight have been ordered.....

I do think this may catch on!


EcoWarriorMe comment: The farmer will be disappointed. Solar panels (photovoltaic panels) are in fact only 15-20% efficient, which means he will use at least five units to generate one unit of solar electricity. Add to that the inefficiency of the lights with up to 80% of the electricity consumed being wasted as heat, the sums just don't add up, never mind the wastefulness of out all.

What next? Giant hairdryers to power wind turbines, perpetual motion machines or cold fusion?

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