Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by belorn 2327 days ago
For an apple to apple comparison we would need to define exactly what is being compared. Should we use the exact PV module that they bought and compare that to the exact power plant that supply energy to their area? We could also compare a hypothetical PV module using the latest models and compare that to the latest models of power plants and energy grids.

Depending on incentives and purpose one can choose which facts that one want to use. A fair comparison would be quite complex and have many variables one need to define for both the solar version and the power grid version.
1 comments
admax88q 2327 days ago
If we are discussing the viability and sustainability of any particular thing we should be using the current industry standard numbers and a reasonable estimate of where the industry is going. There's no sense discussing whether option A is sustainable or not if nobody actually produces option A is outdated and the next decade of installations will use option B.
link
belorn 2326 days ago
I can see value in both approaches. One is a test of what happens if you go right now and buy a PV module from a nearby store. This has the implication that the module has been in the store for a while and the raw material was mined and collected many years ago. Then you compare it to getting the power from the wall socket, which similar implications that the power plant that generates the power was built many years ago using old technology.

The other approach compare the state of the art PV module vs the state of the art power plant, both being built using the latest mining and construction methods.

The answer of what is more sustainable is going to depend a lot on context. Are we comparing what a person can do right now, or what we should be doing in the future? For powering websites the general answer from the industry is currently to build data centers in depopulated areas in countries with cold climates, near a hydro power plant and with plenty access to cooling water. This is however not a solution that you can apply if the requirement is that the server must be located in Spain.

link