[ExI] Inkjet printing could change the face of solar energy industry

[Emlyn]

On 4 July 2011 17:21, BillK <pharos at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Jul 4, 2011 at 8:00 AM, Emlyn wrote:
> <snip>
>> Eventually you want to see low voltage DC sockets in your house, along
>> with some higher voltage AC for stuff that wants that (washing
>> machine, fridge?). AC could be done with an inverter, or just come out
>> of the grid as now, ignore the panels (so no inverter required). DC
>> could be panels, with fallback to grid + transformer where necessary
>> (night time). Obviously this is assuming a world where people begin
>> making appliances that natively use, say, 12 volt DC, no power pack.
>>
>> No need for batteries, because there is still a grid. As far as
>> storage on the grid goes, you don't really need it. When output from
>> panels is high, it just means supply from power stations drops - those
>> guys are all over the ability to ramp down when the grid doesn't need
>> them. I think some of them can even "go in reverse", store a bit of
>> power from the grid when the price is really low (demand is low),
>> although I'm not sure what technology they use. That's something worth
>> investing in probably, might be on the up.
>>
>>
>
> I doubt if you will end up with two classes of devices (AC or DC). You
> would have to design new plug standards to stop people plugging them
> into the wrong sockets. Look at the horrific mess of international
> plug standards at present!
>
> More likely you will get (more expensive) devices that include a
> transformer and intelligent switching that decides what the input
> electricity type is and runs on whatever they are plugged into.
>
>
> BillK

Extension of switched mode power supply?

USB3 might become the DC standard we're talking about. There's
significant commercial impetus I think, which is that AC standards are
all over the place; different in each country. A DC standard (eg:
USB3) can be international, which is a huge boon given that all
markets for appliances now are global.

-- 
Emlyn

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