Spray-on Solar Panels -- in space

cygo
Science Freak
cygo's picture
Posts: 144
Joined: 2010-09-10
User is offlineOffline
Spray-on Solar Panels -- in space

Spray-on Solar Panels

 

Solar cells are usually made of silicon coated with a thin layer of silicon nitrate.

 

This silicon nitrate works as an anti-reflective agent to boost cell efficiency.

 

On earth, these types of cells are costly to produce because the anti-reflective layer deposition must happen in a vacuum and creating this vacuum like situation on earth isn't cheap.

 

 


Answers in Gene...
High Level Donor
Answers in Gene Simmons's picture
Posts: 4214
Joined: 2008-11-11
User is offlineOffline
 So sending this crap into

 

So sending this crap into space is a good engineering concept​ ?

NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:
Never ever did I say enything about free, I said "free."

=


BobSpence
High Level DonorRational VIP!ScientistWebsite Admin
BobSpence's picture
Posts: 5939
Joined: 2006-02-14
User is offlineOffline
cygo wrote:Spray-on Solar

cygo wrote:

Spray-on Solar Panels 

Solar cells are usually made of silicon coated with a thin layer of silicon nitrate.

This silicon nitrate works as an anti-reflective agent to boost cell efficiency. 

On earth, these types of cells are costly to produce because the anti-reflective layer deposition must happen in a vacuum and creating this vacuum like situation on earth isn't cheap.

It's much more expensive to send it into space.

Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality

"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris

The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me

From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology


100percentAtheist
atheist
100percentAtheist's picture
Posts: 679
Joined: 2010-05-02
User is offlineOffline
cygo wrote:Spray-on Solar

cygo wrote:

Spray-on Solar Panels

 

Solar cells are usually made of silicon coated with a thin layer of silicon nitrate.

 

This silicon nitrate works as an anti-reflective agent to boost cell efficiency.

 

On earth, these types of cells are costly to produce because the anti-reflective layer deposition must happen in a vacuum and creating this vacuum like situation on earth isn't cheap.

 

In my lab, I can create this vacuum every day.  I would say it takes less than 10 kW*h of electricity to get to the vacuum level of 10^-6 torr and less than 200 kW*h for 10^-10 torr.  Plus a few copper gaskets.  A few bucks in total.

So, where did you get your idea that it isn't cheap??? It is much more difficult to get good silicon, but now a 300 mm wafer will cost you a few bucks as well.  The most expensive parts are probably electrodes.  There is absolutely NO benefit in transferring this technology to space.

 


Beyond Saving
atheist
Beyond Saving's picture
Posts: 5520
Joined: 2007-10-12
User is offlineOffline
100percentAtheist wrote:cygo

100percentAtheist wrote:

cygo wrote:

Spray-on Solar Panels

 

Solar cells are usually made of silicon coated with a thin layer of silicon nitrate.

 

This silicon nitrate works as an anti-reflective agent to boost cell efficiency.

 

On earth, these types of cells are costly to produce because the anti-reflective layer deposition must happen in a vacuum and creating this vacuum like situation on earth isn't cheap.

 

In my lab, I can create this vacuum every day.  I would say it takes less than 10 kW*h of electricity to get to the vacuum level of 10^-6 torr and less than 200 kW*h for 10^-10 torr.  Plus a few copper gaskets.  A few bucks in total.

So, where did you get your idea that it isn't cheap??? It is much more difficult to get good silicon, but now a 300 mm wafer will cost you a few bucks as well.  The most expensive parts are probably electrodes.  There is absolutely NO benefit in transferring this technology to space.

 

 

Yes, but why do it for a few bucks when you can do it in space for approximately $450 million? Doing it in space is soooooo much cooler. Plus if you are spending $450 million it is a lot easier to skim a few million off the top for you and your friends. And we wonder why our country is bankrupt....

If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X


100percentAtheist
atheist
100percentAtheist's picture
Posts: 679
Joined: 2010-05-02
User is offlineOffline
Beyond Saving

Beyond Saving wrote:

100percentAtheist wrote:

cygo wrote:

Spray-on Solar Panels

 

Solar cells are usually made of silicon coated with a thin layer of silicon nitrate.

 

This silicon nitrate works as an anti-reflective agent to boost cell efficiency.

 

On earth, these types of cells are costly to produce because the anti-reflective layer deposition must happen in a vacuum and creating this vacuum like situation on earth isn't cheap.

 

In my lab, I can create this vacuum every day.  I would say it takes less than 10 kW*h of electricity to get to the vacuum level of 10^-6 torr and less than 200 kW*h for 10^-10 torr.  Plus a few copper gaskets.  A few bucks in total.

So, where did you get your idea that it isn't cheap??? It is much more difficult to get good silicon, but now a 300 mm wafer will cost you a few bucks as well.  The most expensive parts are probably electrodes.  There is absolutely NO benefit in transferring this technology to space.

 

 

Yes, but why do it for a few bucks when you can do it in space for approximately $450 million? Doing it in space is soooooo much cooler. Plus if you are spending $450 million it is a lot easier to skim a few million off the top for you and your friends. And we wonder why our country is bankrupt....

Good point.

But if you can skim of a few millions, would you be still worried about somebody else, or some country going bankrupt? Smiling


cygo
Science Freak
cygo's picture
Posts: 144
Joined: 2010-09-10
User is offlineOffline
Answers in Gene Simmons

Answers in Gene Simmons wrote:

 

So sending this crap into space is a good engineering concept​ ?

 

No one is suggesting that.

 

 


cygo
Science Freak
cygo's picture
Posts: 144
Joined: 2010-09-10
User is offlineOffline
BobSpence1 wrote:cygo

BobSpence1 wrote:

cygo wrote:

Spray-on Solar Panels 

Solar cells are usually made of silicon coated with a thin layer of silicon nitrate.

This silicon nitrate works as an anti-reflective agent to boost cell efficiency. 

On earth, these types of cells are costly to produce because the anti-reflective layer deposition must happen in a vacuum and creating this vacuum like situation on earth isn't cheap.

It's much more expensive to send it into space.

 

No one is suggesting that.

 

 


cygo
Science Freak
cygo's picture
Posts: 144
Joined: 2010-09-10
User is offlineOffline
100percentAtheist wrote:cygo

100percentAtheist wrote:

cygo wrote:

Spray-on Solar Panels

 

Solar cells are usually made of silicon coated with a thin layer of silicon nitrate.

 

This silicon nitrate works as an anti-reflective agent to boost cell efficiency.

 

On earth, these types of cells are costly to produce because the anti-reflective layer deposition must happen in a vacuum and creating this vacuum like situation on earth isn't cheap.

 

In my lab, I can create this vacuum every day.  I would say it takes less than 10 kW*h of electricity to get to the vacuum level of 10^-6 torr and less than 200 kW*h for 10^-10 torr.  Plus a few copper gaskets.  A few bucks in total.

So, where did you get your idea that it isn't cheap??? It is much more difficult to get good silicon, but now a 300 mm wafer will cost you a few bucks as well.  The most expensive parts are probably electrodes.  There is absolutely NO benefit in transferring this technology to space.

 

 

Good, but you don't get it.

 

 


cygo
Science Freak
cygo's picture
Posts: 144
Joined: 2010-09-10
User is offlineOffline
Beyond Saving

Beyond Saving wrote:

100percentAtheist wrote:

cygo wrote:

Spray-on Solar Panels

 

Solar cells are usually made of silicon coated with a thin layer of silicon nitrate.

 

This silicon nitrate works as an anti-reflective agent to boost cell efficiency.

 

On earth, these types of cells are costly to produce because the anti-reflective layer deposition must happen in a vacuum and creating this vacuum like situation on earth isn't cheap.

 

 

In my lab, I can create this vacuum every day.  I would say it takes less than 10 kW*h of electricity to get to the vacuum level of 10^-6 torr and less than 200 kW*h for 10^-10 torr.  Plus a few copper gaskets.  A few bucks in total.

So, where did you get your idea that it isn't cheap??? It is much more difficult to get good silicon, but now a 300 mm wafer will cost you a few bucks as well.  The most expensive parts are probably electrodes.  There is absolutely NO benefit in transferring this technology to space.

 

 

Yes, but why do it for a few bucks when you can do it in space for approximately $450 million? Doing it in space is soooooo much cooler. Plus if you are spending $450 million it is a lot easier to skim a few million off the top for you and your friends. And we wonder why our country is bankrupt....

 

This is just one marketable item.  Naturally, you want to offer many more.

 

 


100percentAtheist
atheist
100percentAtheist's picture
Posts: 679
Joined: 2010-05-02
User is offlineOffline
cygo wrote:Beyond Saving

cygo wrote:

Beyond Saving wrote:

100percentAtheist wrote:

cygo wrote:

Spray-on Solar Panels

 

Solar cells are usually made of silicon coated with a thin layer of silicon nitrate.

 

This silicon nitrate works as an anti-reflective agent to boost cell efficiency.

 

On earth, these types of cells are costly to produce because the anti-reflective layer deposition must happen in a vacuum and creating this vacuum like situation on earth isn't cheap.

 

 

In my lab, I can create this vacuum every day.  I would say it takes less than 10 kW*h of electricity to get to the vacuum level of 10^-6 torr and less than 200 kW*h for 10^-10 torr.  Plus a few copper gaskets.  A few bucks in total.

So, where did you get your idea that it isn't cheap??? It is much more difficult to get good silicon, but now a 300 mm wafer will cost you a few bucks as well.  The most expensive parts are probably electrodes.  There is absolutely NO benefit in transferring this technology to space.

 

 

Yes, but why do it for a few bucks when you can do it in space for approximately $450 million? Doing it in space is soooooo much cooler. Plus if you are spending $450 million it is a lot easier to skim a few million off the top for you and your friends. And we wonder why our country is bankrupt....

 

This is just one marketable item.  Naturally, you want to offer many more.

 

 

 

I think that Burnie Madoff just did it. 

 


100percentAtheist
atheist
100percentAtheist's picture
Posts: 679
Joined: 2010-05-02
User is offlineOffline
cygo wrote:100percentAtheist

cygo wrote:

100percentAtheist wrote:

cygo wrote:

Spray-on Solar Panels

 

Solar cells are usually made of silicon coated with a thin layer of silicon nitrate.

 

This silicon nitrate works as an anti-reflective agent to boost cell efficiency.

 

On earth, these types of cells are costly to produce because the anti-reflective layer deposition must happen in a vacuum and creating this vacuum like situation on earth isn't cheap.

 

In my lab, I can create this vacuum every day.  I would say it takes less than 10 kW*h of electricity to get to the vacuum level of 10^-6 torr and less than 200 kW*h for 10^-10 torr.  Plus a few copper gaskets.  A few bucks in total.

So, where did you get your idea that it isn't cheap??? It is much more difficult to get good silicon, but now a 300 mm wafer will cost you a few bucks as well.  The most expensive parts are probably electrodes.  There is absolutely NO benefit in transferring this technology to space.

 

 

Good, but you don't get it.

 

 

 

Do not get WHAT?

 


Answers in Gene...
High Level Donor
Answers in Gene Simmons's picture
Posts: 4214
Joined: 2008-11-11
User is offlineOffline
cygo wrote:Answers in Gene

cygo wrote:

Answers in Gene Simmons wrote:
So sending this crap into space is a good engineering concept​ ?

 

No one is suggesting that.

 

Then how are we supposed to get it in space? 

 

Oh um, I left some around here somewhere.  Wait, I know, it is on the pocket of the space suit that I wear on Fridays.!  Um yah, that does not really work any better.

NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:
Never ever did I say enything about free, I said "free."

=