World's largest solar boat enters Grand Harbour

Mr Bartolo Edward

Aug 4th 2012, 17:39

Solar cells cannot be more than ten times more efficient than they are today because they are already more than 10% efficient. In fact, I have already read about solar cells that are over 40% efficient but they are used only for special purposes.

ray bajada

Aug 4th 2012, 18:32

@ Edward Bartolo...tend to disagree. With the IT Industry and Biomimetics Industry now actively interested in harnessing solar power incredible innovations are being developed.....albeit still too expensive to be economically viable....but once they reach a stage of industrial production yes there will be super efficient solar panels for the production of electricity available at prices that will compare well with generation using oil in the next decade or so

J. Debono

Aug 4th 2012, 19:54

It is difficult to increase the efficiency of solar cells. Also PV panels are very expensive to produce.

Solar technology in fact is shifting from PV panels, to solar concentration energy, which uses mirrors (much cheaper materials) to concentrate solar energy, where it is calculated that utilising less than 2% of the Sahara desert would give enough energy to power all of Europe, with up to 80% efficiency.

Mr Bartolo Edward

Aug 4th 2012, 20:19

@ ray bajada

Whatever the technology, a 100% efficient solar cell is the theoretical maximum. One cannot have a system which gives off more energy than it receives: that would violate the principle of conservation of energy, and till now, no one has ever found a single instance where it is violated.

C Cassar

Aug 5th 2012, 03:39

Totally wrong. Within the next 3 years PVs will be 10 times more efficient than those of today.

David J Cassar

Aug 5th 2012, 18:03

When one refers of solar panel efficiency one is referring to cost versus size and power output .The present technology is being fabricated with outdated 6inch and at times 3inch front end facilities. Just shifting from 3inch to 15inch front end will reduce the cost dramatically! Elementary dear Watson!

Mario Tabone

Aug 4th 2012, 16:10

That is why you are not a company director to some huge international company !!!

'It is powered by an array of 537 square meters of high efficiency solar cells provided by Sunpower Corporation.

The visit to Malta is being supported by the ministries for resources and transport, Sunpower Malta Ltd, Alternative Technologies Ltd, Sunpower's authorised distributor in Malta, and Grand Harbour Marina plc.
'
If you care to read the report it says the solar cells are provided by Sunpower Corporation. This is a unique craft which draws plenty of newsworthy attention wherever it goes. The private companies you refer to are Sunpower's agents on the island, hence the advertising side to business !!!
As far as Grand Harbour Marina and the Government, they have a lot more to earn out of the advertising this brings than thwe actual outlay that they will incurr. It is all called Good Business Mr Magro which is something you obviously know and understand very little about !!!

Jimmy Magro

Aug 4th 2012, 17:26

@Mario Tabone
Since you pretend to be an international business director, you should inform the Maltese taxpayers what are the direct and indirect macro and micro economic, financial and social benefits of having such a visit paid out of public funds.

When I see the figures, we can come back to another open debate about your intellectual ability to analyse how public money should be spent in a time of economic and financial crises.

One another point, since public funds are used, the Government should have publicly stated how much money were paid for such a visit.

If this special boat is visiting oter ports, what is unique in coming to Malta too?

john vernon

Aug 4th 2012, 21:24

VERY narrow minded Mr Magro

Jimmy Magro

Aug 5th 2012, 11:06

@ john vernon
When it comes to public money, good governance demand that money are used to create wealth in Malta and not in Switzerland. If I have a narrow mind, then all the EU has the same mind as if one has to make use of EU funds, God only knows how many reports, feasibility studies, cost-benefit analysis, and other apraisals have to be made before the EU releases a single Euro.

This shows that any serious public officer, private businessperson, politicians, and who ever is in the decision-making loop, is duty bound to invest and use money in the most appropriate way.

With all the name-calling coming from you and other commentators, none have come forward with a single concrete benefit this public sponsorship will make to the Maltese economy. I suppose that the vessel's crew has all the supplies on board, and will not even make use of any chandlier services from Malta.

Showcasing other countries technology does not imply that it will inspire our creative minds to become more creative. Rather our creative minds will feel disappointed when they learn that public funds have been used in this way, when very little R&D expenditure is done in Malta. Our R&D expenditure, as a percentage to GDP, is the smallest in all 27 EU member states.

So I tell you open your mind and be creative and give credit when due, but let others speak out to make Malta more competitive.

Mario Tabone

Aug 5th 2012, 13:30

@ Jimmy Magro
While I have never insinuated that I am some sort of international marketing director, I certainly do not promote myself as some sort of sleuth who smells something funny in anything that takes place on these islands, unlike your good self of course.
It is clear from the original blog that this craft has come here as part of a marketing exercise by the local agents for the solar power cells that the craft uses. The fact that the the marina management and government tourist organisations have supported this is good business. If you care to research how many foreign vessels visit our harbour and marinas you might just understand the concept of good business marketing Mr Magro. In the meantime , from where I sit, the only thing that smells funny is your bias against anything that might promote Malta to investors from abroad . The phrase thick as two short planks comes to mind !!!!