Doug Korthof

Game Changer in Solar Energy: PG&E Inks Deal

Wayfarer,
Thanks for catching this; we might assume they are talking about some new technology, but on reflection, I think you're right, it's just a misprint.
Sunpower is the most efficient COMMERCIAL panel, at 22%, due to its p-junction technology.

Thin film is much less efficient and operates at much lower voltage, meaning thicker copper wires. Copper is now a significant expense.

Game Changer in Solar Energy: PG&E Inks Deal

The BIG advantage of solar has nothing to do with kWh!

The issue is PEAK power, measured in kW!

Solar lowers the daytime peak -- the only time when we are anywhere near running out of electric. California has 52,000 mW available; our demand has never risen that high (of course), even in blackouts or brownouts.

Solar power is a natural "peaker" unit, coming on when electric is needed most. At night, there's too much electric, big generators are shut down to "warm start", an expensive and dirty process.

So each 1 mW of CAPACITY is worth much more than the off-peak kWh.

Peak electric, according to the latest Cost of Generation Study (COGS) is about 42 cents per kWh, while off-peak is pretty much FREE (excess electric sent to California via the Western States DC Power Grid is used to pump water up Lake Castaic; the next day, during peak periods, the 6 pumps turn into generators. Even with losses, it's much cheaper to "store" this off-peak than it is to produce peak power).