You don't have to look far in the US to see that PV solar is winning against grid-connected power. I don't know the exact shape of the niche, but it seems to be a combination of relatively low power needs vs the cost of bringing grid power to the location. Safety lighting and monitoring or communications seem to be common applications.
And I'm talking about utilitarian applications, not places where the PR value of appearing "green" gets factored into the equation. One place I've seen things like this are is path lighting in parks or campuses that are run of batteries charged by a solar panel. In the past, they would have pulled power to the location, and the solar option wins out because of lower up-front costs.
Yes, and the point is that there are market niches that would either have gone unserved, or would have been served at greater expense because there was no suitable alternative that are now being served by PV solar. This what the start of disruption looks like (though by no means speaks to how far it ends up going)
That's rather obvious. I'm talking about places where it works well in Japan, along the same lines as the parent talking about places where it works well in parks.
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You don't have to look far in the US to see that PV solar is winning against grid-connected power. I don't know the exact shape of the niche, but it seems to be a combination of relatively low power needs vs the cost of bringing grid power to the location. Safety lighting and monitoring or communications seem to be common applications.
And I'm talking about utilitarian applications, not places where the PR value of appearing "green" gets factored into the equation. One place I've seen things like this are is path lighting in parks or campuses that are run of batteries charged by a solar panel. In the past, they would have pulled power to the location, and the solar option wins out because of lower up-front costs.
In Japan, most of the country (well, mountain) roads are illuminated by street lights charged by a PV panel on top.
All 4-way stop intersections also have a blinking red light embedded in the road, once again charged by a PV cell.
> In Japan, most of the country (well, mountain) roads are illuminated by street lights charged by a PV panel on top.
That tells us that the cost of getting power to those locations dominates the cost of power used at those locations.
Other locations have different characteristics.
Yes, and the point is that there are market niches that would either have gone unserved, or would have been served at greater expense because there was no suitable alternative that are now being served by PV solar. This what the start of disruption looks like (though by no means speaks to how far it ends up going)
"Other locations have different characteristics."
That's rather obvious. I'm talking about places where it works well in Japan, along the same lines as the parent talking about places where it works well in parks.