Mechanical Engineering & Renewable Energy: A Future in Solar Power?

In summary: The price of polysilicon has been http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5505NT20090601" and there is a ton of inventory building up. There is also more refining capacity coming online in 2010/11 (mainly in China). So while silicon prices/availability was the major stumbling block in recent years it...should not be an issue in the near future.In summary, the renewable energy sector is a great one to be in right now, but solar will only be a tiny part of the market.
  • #1
JSBeckton
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I am a 3rd year mechanical engineering major currently working in an internship for a power company. My company recently sold off their wind and hydro generating plants because they could not compete with the coal plants. We now have only coal and gas/oil plants.

I know that I could continue to work in these plants after graduation and make a lot of money becuase most of the people in this business are approaching retirement. I could easily move up fast, however I don't want to spend my whole life in coal plants.

I have recently become very interested in renewable energy since I see the pollution first hand every day. I am most fasinated with solar power, it seems like such a vast and untamped source. Is there any future in solar power in America (where coal is so cheap) for a mechanical engineer since it does not involve as many moving parts as say a coal or gas plant?
 
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  • #2
I hear shell gas company is starting to get into solar power. In a few more years, anyone who's using coal power will get some serious frown power from their peers, so just wait a few years. coal is doomed to fall
 
  • #3
I hear shell gas company is starting to get into solar power.

Starting...
 
  • #4
the tech is out there already. the only thing about it is you cannot use a battery storage system if you want a clean system, it kinda defeats the point. a smart dc-dc convertor and water heating system that can switch to company power is the future. if it's done right it will be a rollable heavy foil that snaps in place on house roofing, and as long as it can last 50+ years you will have a new profitable industry. everyone wins if the big coal companys shift focus.
 
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  • #5
everyone wins if the big coal companys shift focas.

Why would they want to shift focus?
 
  • #6
cleaner environment :redface:
 
  • #7
Unfortunatly they are too focused on the near-term profits that coal provides. There is enough coal to last at least 100-200 years so are we going to see a major investment in it before then?
 
  • #8
Sadly, we'll see an investment when everyone buys a Prius or everyone changes to cleaner power providers (well a significant amount).
 
  • #9
The problem with solar power right now is that you have to cover HUGE areas of land with solar panels if you want to produce any significant amount of electricity.

There is also the problem that you need to build a significant backup capacity(coal, oil, gas)for those times that the sun isn't shining.

Wind has the same two problems. It means very high costs of electricity in the end. The only way wind and solar power can compete with gas, coal and nuclear power is heavy subisidses(is this spelled right?) from the goverment. In sweden the subsidisesare so high that they evened out over each produced kWh from wind, they are almost twice as high as the electricity production cost in our nuclear power plants.
 
  • #10
verty said:
Starting...

http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=shellsolar"

http://www.solarelectricsupply.com/" [Broken]
 
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  • #11
The renewable energy sector is a great one to be in right now. The solar and wind industries are reported to be http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN10418459" online We need to create a diverse portfolio of renewable energy / clean energy source. Solar, wind & hydro to create jobs and get us off of hydrocarbons as a fuel source.
 
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  • #12
jasonbjames said:
The renewable energy sector is a great one to be in right now. The solar and wind industries are reported to be http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN10418459" online We need to create a diverse portfolio of renewable energy / clean energy source. Solar, wind & hydro to create jobs and get us off of hydrocarbons as a fuel source.

Although solar is growing, it will continue to be only a tiny part of the market. The usual solar panel technology is not expected to make a major impact, if for no other reason than silicon availability. Energy in general is an exciting field to be in, but technologies are changing. It's not likely that solar will be more than a niche market, even as it grows. Nuclear and cleaner coal are more likely to be the major short-mid term players, with wind also in the mix (although still relatively small).

Just an FYI. There will certainly be jobs in solar too. Are you interested in design engineering or in operations management?
 
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  • #13
kote said:
AThe usual solar panel technology is not expected to make a major impact, if for no other reason than silicon availability.
I don't think we have hit 'peak sand' just yet !
 
  • #14
kote said:
if for no other reason than silicon availability.

Actually the price of polysilicon has been http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5505NT20090601" and there is a ton of inventory building up. There is also more refining capacity coming online in 2010/11 (mainly in China). So while silicon prices/availability was the major stumbling block in recent years it will be less of an issue going forward.

The problem with solar is three fold - scalability, financing and cost.

Scalability. Most installers are mom and pop shops that only service one town or one county. No installer has figured out how to scale nationally but that's about to change with the online quoting & sales of complete systems. http://www.sungevity.com/" [Broken] is making progress with going national. With scalability comes buying power which means cheaper hardware, savings that can be passed on to the customer.

Financing. It is only a matter of time before the money starts flowing again (Summer 2010?) and people can get loans.

Cost. Not only are panel prices plummeting, but balance of system (BoS) prices are dropping too. BoS is all hardware except for the panels - power inverters, racking etc. Large, hard to install centralized inverters are being replaced with smaller cheaper http://www.ecodirect.com/Micro-Inverter-Solar-s/245.htm" [Broken]. This not only reduces equipment cost but they are much easier to install (no electrician required) so labor cost is reduced as well. Racking has gotten cheaper much easier to install over the last few years.

All this adds up to grid parity and below in the next few years. What does that mean? It means by 2015, you will be able get an online quote (no truck roll required) for a solar electric system that will be financed through a 20 year loan paid back via http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=26580".

No upfront cost and your electricity bill goes down by 20% from day one. Now that will spur some growth!
 
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  • #15
jasonbjames said:
Actually the price of polysilicon has been http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5505NT20090601" and there is a ton of inventory building up. There is also more refining capacity coming online in 2010/11 (mainly in China). So while silicon prices/availability was the major stumbling block in recent years it will be less of an issue going forward.

Current inventory increases are due to temporary factors in the economy. You won't see much if any photovoltaic solar in use by power companies... it's just not economical and at the scale needed for solar to have significant market share the prices would surely go up. The threat of a future silicon shortage is a deterrent to large-scale investment in silicon based technology.

A 20 year payback might work for a home user, and solar will certainly be having some relative growth, but a 20 year payback is unacceptable for a business. Either way I agree with about everything you've said and I didn't mean to make a big deal out of it :smile: - just pointing out that coal isn't going away any time soon, and solar won't be the technology to replace it.
 
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  • #16
just pointing out that coal isn't going away any time soon, and solar won't be the technology to replace it.

Agreed.

20 year payback is unacceptable for a business

If there is no upfront cost and your electricity bill goes down from day one why not? If you own the building or have high power requirements during peak billing you'd be wasting money if you didn't.
 
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1. What is mechanical engineering and how does it relate to renewable energy?

Mechanical engineering is a discipline that involves the design, development, and maintenance of mechanical systems and machines. It is closely related to renewable energy as it plays a crucial role in the development of technologies that harness renewable energy sources such as solar power. Mechanical engineers are responsible for designing and optimizing solar panel systems, wind turbines, and other renewable energy technologies.

2. What is solar power and how does it work?

Solar power is a form of renewable energy that uses the sun's energy to generate electricity. Solar panels, which are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells, collect sunlight and convert it into direct current (DC) electricity. The DC electricity is then converted into alternating current (AC) electricity through an inverter, which can be used to power homes, businesses, and other buildings.

3. What are the benefits of using solar power?

There are several benefits to using solar power. First, it is a renewable energy source, which means it will never run out. Second, it is environmentally friendly and does not produce harmful emissions like fossil fuels. Third, it can help reduce electricity bills for homes and businesses. Finally, it can provide energy independence and security, as it is not dependent on external sources.

4. What are the challenges of incorporating solar power into mechanical engineering?

One of the main challenges of incorporating solar power into mechanical engineering is the cost. While solar technology has become more affordable in recent years, it still requires a significant investment. Another challenge is the efficiency of solar panels, which can be affected by factors such as weather and location. Additionally, integrating solar power into existing mechanical systems can be complex and may require specialized knowledge and skills.

5. What is the future of solar power in mechanical engineering?

The future of solar power in mechanical engineering looks promising. As technology continues to advance, solar panels are becoming more efficient and cost-effective. There is also a growing demand for renewable energy sources, which will likely drive further innovation and development in this field. With the increasing focus on sustainability and reducing carbon emissions, it is likely that solar power will play a major role in the future of mechanical engineering.

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