Re: [APD] [Off-Topic] Supplementing Electricity with Solar

[Jerry Baker <jerry at bakerweb_biz>]

Charlie wrote:
> How much Co2 emissions are associated with the production/manufacturing and
> transport of the PV panels, batteries, inverter/charger and material
> necessary to install the system? What compounds are used in these components
> and what impact does their production, use and disposal have on the
> environment? Just curious if anyone happens to know.

I don't know off-hand, but I do know that using these calculations to 
determine whether it is beneficial or not is misguided. Doing so assumes 
that the process cannot ever be made more efficient and that encouraging 
the production and use of solar cells by creating demand will never 
drive innovation in the area.

The biggest problem with free markets is that they are nearly ideal for 
directing the allocation of goods and services in the short run, but 
they are terrible at doing so in the long run. Mainly because a market 
requires perfect distribution of information to function effectively, 
and no one has perfect information about the future. We see American 
auto manufacturers paying the price for letting pure market economics 
drive their decision making in the 90's. They spent their time and money 
on developing and marketing SUV's because that's what the market wanted, 
and that's what a rational firm would have done. Japanese companies 
hedged their bets and began investing money in smaller, more fuel 
efficient cars, and now they are eating our lunch ... again.

The upshot is that looking at a cost-benefit analysis as it stands right 
at this instant does not necessarily give you the information you need 
to make a good decision about the future.

-- 
Jerry Baker
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