Solar energy?
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Answer:
There is some debate about this question. Photovoltaics have a long way to go (although they are improving). Check out these links to someone proposing using a Stirling engine. Maybe that's what you mean by solar thermal.
err. What is PV?
i will always believe that aggriculture is more energy efficient than solar panels and solar thermal applications...
Also, when dealing with large scale applications, costs can sometimes be ignored, true, but space is VERY important.
If I compare 10 square meters of low quality solar panels producing 100W (random figure), with 1 square meter of high quality solar pannel producing 50W, i'm going to chose the high quality one : because if I have 10 square meters at my disposal, I'll be able to get 500W ! (random figures)
PS for wasif : PV = PhotoVoltaic (solar panel)
see solar energy is better because it does not cause any pollution in the environment and it does not cost even a penny and for India it is the best source because we have enough sun every time and then one day petroleum is going to get over and so we should be mentally prepared.understood!
My suggestion would be for Solar Power, bcos by going for Solar energy we would not only be utilising the Sun rays for generating the power with out any waste or bi products and there by not dumping the atmosphere with biohazards.
Initially the cost may be big, but in the future you would save a large ammount as you need not spend monthly to generate power once you go for Solar power.
I'd stick with the PV system. Concentrating mirrors for thermal electric generation have a lot of down sides: You have to have a tracking system, they have to stay very clean, birds flying into the area will fry, you need a large area, there is an unsightly tower, there is some danger of frying people when moving mirrors ...
PV systems can be intergrated into building architecture. They can be updated incrementally. I think they are the better choice all around.
Since your question clearly mentions to compare advantages w.r.t cost and space required, thermal applications is cheaper when produced in large scale. However, PV and solar are in development stage. Large scale and very large scale production may be possible at reasonable cost and plant size in near future.
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