In 2004 the University of Southampton secured £250k worth of DTI (tax payers money) to research solar PV technology and to thereafter put an affordable technology in to main stream production. Thus creating a green technology that produces electricity (during daylight hours) that is affordable for all. Their ultimate aim was to achieve a $1 a watt cell technology. Needless to say we are far far away from such an affordable cell.

The real question is where is the research results? Where is the research published? And, why is the British tax payer still funding renewable energy installations that apparently do not produce a return on investment. Are the good people of Britain being taken for a water chute ride?

Despite the progressive advancement of our understanding for renewable energy technologies we are still doubling CO2 emissions every 3 years. At this rate we will never reduce CO2 emissions regardless of the 'spare cash' being thrown at installing renewable energy systems.

The British governement's attempt to kick start the renewable energy sector may have come too late, at least from a cash payback perspective. Making decisions on whether our future energy security was with nucleur or with sun powered devices is just too much it would appear.
The DTI in association with BP were experimenting with Solar PV as early as in the 70's. It was deemed a feasible technology then so why is it not deemed feasible now (RIC's). Is it simply because the payback isn't clear cut and the return on investment is simply not there.

The return is environmental and even this is questioned. Why is it questionable? The same reason that everything we do has an energy burning value. Without cracking a joke about how many light bulbs it takes to use all the energy created by a 200w panel think about how many man / woman hours are exhausted making and installing the technology. It would be cheaper to make the industry redundant and really save CO2! No we can't so that would be giving up on our battle to beat the planet at its own game.

Efficient Energy would like to hear your views on which renewable energy technology you feel is the most cost effective and environmentally friendly.