BTW - does anyone have more info on Quantum Boost than is on their website?
http://ultrasolar.com/files/QuantumBoost%20Summary.pdf This could be a significant breakthrough in solar. It is an add-on which increases the output of exiting cells by 20%. Thus 2.5 kW existing system becomes 3 kW for less cost and space than the value added. It appears to be what can only be called a positive feedback mechanism and thus could be relevant to other systems besides PV. From: Jed Rothwell Here is a table with the actual numbers for 2003 to 2013: http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_1_1 Click on the "Graph" at the top right for an interesting look at the data. Then on the box on the top right, "View a pre-generated report" see "1.1.A Net Generation by Other Renewables: Total - All Sectors." "Others" are mostly wind (the brown line). It varies a great deal by season. Solar (the green line) barely registers at the bottom. You can move the cursor on the colored lines in the graph to see what the lines represent and what the underlying numbers are; i.e. "Wind, Oct 2011, 10,525 thousand megawatthours." You gotta love the EIA. Getting back to the table -- Renewables excluding hydro but including wind, geothermal, PV and so on are glommed together in one category: "Renewable Sources Excluding Hydroelectric." You can see the dramatic decline in coal generation, and the rise of natural gas. Coal has fallen by 387,739 (thousand megawatt hours), while gas has risen 463,757. Overall generation has increased only a little, by 175,024. Nuclear and hydroelectricity remain stable, as you would expect, since there are no new nukes or dams. Renewables go from 79,487 to 253,328, increasing by a factor of 3. That is impressive but it is still only 1/6th of coal and only 1/16 of the total (6%). The total for 2013 is 4,058,209. I do not think the coal companies are quaking in their boots, worried about competition from PV. They fear natural gas and wind. "Petroleum liquids" are approaching zero. They are only used in Hawaii, I believe. It makes no sense to burn oil to generate electricity. - Jed
