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222
socal2
2025 Nov 19, 7:30pm
Eric Holder says
We have clay tile on our house and love it. I had a contractor do a "lift and relay" a few years after we bought the house putting new paper down and reusing most of the existing tile. The tile will last over 100 years!
That said, you can't walk on it. My contractor buddy says you should only let a 100 pound Mexican in socks do any roof work!
Why not? They look good and last a very long time if nobody is jumping on them.
We have clay tile on our house and love it. I had a contractor do a "lift and relay" a few years after we bought the house putting new paper down and reusing most of the existing tile. The tile will last over 100 years!
That said, you can't walk on it. My contractor buddy says you should only let a 100 pound Mexican in socks do any roof work!
223
WookieMan
2025 Nov 20, 6:45am
WookieMan
2025 Nov 20, 6:45am
socal2 says
In CA maybe. IL they're toast in 30 years if that. Hail storms. Every house here will get smashed by golf ball or bigger sized hail 1-3 times in your lifetime. It destroys clay tile.
Not saying they're bad roofs, just they only work in specific areas.
The tile will last over 100 years!
In CA maybe. IL they're toast in 30 years if that. Hail storms. Every house here will get smashed by golf ball or bigger sized hail 1-3 times in your lifetime. It destroys clay tile.
Not saying they're bad roofs, just they only work in specific areas.
224
Eric Holder
2025 Nov 20, 7:57am
Eric Holder
2025 Nov 20, 7:57am
WookieMan says
And people say weather doesn't matter, LOL.
In CA maybe. IL they're toast in 30 years if that. Hail storms. Every house here will get smashed by golf ball or bigger sized hail 1-3 times in your lifetime. It destroys clay tile.
And people say weather doesn't matter, LOL.
225
Patrick
2025 Nov 20, 1:09pm
Patrick
2025 Nov 20, 1:09pm
WookieMan says
That happens in Germany tool. Just before I did my foreign study year in Innsbruck, there was a crazy hailstorm so you'd see all these damaged cars driving around.
Every house here will get smashed by golf ball or bigger sized hail 1-3 times in your lifetime. It destroys clay tile.
That happens in Germany tool. Just before I did my foreign study year in Innsbruck, there was a crazy hailstorm so you'd see all these damaged cars driving around.
The most notable hailstorm in Germany during the 1980s was the Munich hailstorm on July 12, 1984, which caused extensive damage with tennis ball-sized hailstones.
This event resulted in an estimated cost of 3 billion Deutschmark, making it the most significant loss event in the history of the German insurance industry at that time.
The storm damaged approximately 70,000 homes and 200,000 cars, and it is often remembered for the term "Munich Design," which jokingly referred to cars whose bodywork was not repaired after the storm.
226
AD
2025 Nov 22, 1:24pm
AD
2025 Nov 22, 1:24pm
Silver accounts for roughly 5–10% of the total cost of a solar panel system, depending on silver prices and panel design.
📊 Silver’s Role in Solar Costs
• Material Use: Each solar panel contains about 20 grams (0.64 ounces) of silver, embedded in the conductive paste that carries electricity through the silicon cells.
• Industry Demand: In 2023, solar PV consumed 193.5 million ounces of silver, projected to rise to 232 million ounces in 2024.
• Cost Share:
• At ~$25/oz silver, the silver in one panel costs about $16.
• With installed panel costs averaging $150–$300 per panel, silver represents 5–10% of the hardware cost.
• For a full residential system (~20 panels, $15,000–$20,000 installed), silver contributes $300–$600 of the total.
🧠 Why Silver Matters
• Efficiency: Silver is the best conductor, boosting panel efficiency compared to alternatives like copper.
• Price Sensitivity: Rising silver prices (up ~100% since 2019) put pressure on manufacturers to reduce silver content or switch to copper metallization.
• Scaling Impact: As global solar capacity expands, silver demand is becoming a bottleneck—solar now accounts for ~15% of annual silver consumption.
⚠️ Implications
• Cost Volatility: If silver prices spike, solar system costs rise disproportionately, since silver is irreplaceable in high‑efficiency designs.
• Innovation Pressure: Manufacturers are researching copper and aluminum alternatives to reduce reliance on silver.
• Macro Link: Silver’s dual role as an industrial and precious metal means solar demand directly influences global silver markets.
✅ In summary: Silver makes up about 5–10% of the cost of a solar system, with each panel using ~20 grams of silver. Rising silver prices are a growing challenge for solar economics.
Sources: International Precious Metals Institute, Resource World, MiningVisuals
📊 Silver’s Role in Solar Costs
• Material Use: Each solar panel contains about 20 grams (0.64 ounces) of silver, embedded in the conductive paste that carries electricity through the silicon cells.
• Industry Demand: In 2023, solar PV consumed 193.5 million ounces of silver, projected to rise to 232 million ounces in 2024.
• Cost Share:
• At ~$25/oz silver, the silver in one panel costs about $16.
• With installed panel costs averaging $150–$300 per panel, silver represents 5–10% of the hardware cost.
• For a full residential system (~20 panels, $15,000–$20,000 installed), silver contributes $300–$600 of the total.
🧠 Why Silver Matters
• Efficiency: Silver is the best conductor, boosting panel efficiency compared to alternatives like copper.
• Price Sensitivity: Rising silver prices (up ~100% since 2019) put pressure on manufacturers to reduce silver content or switch to copper metallization.
• Scaling Impact: As global solar capacity expands, silver demand is becoming a bottleneck—solar now accounts for ~15% of annual silver consumption.
⚠️ Implications
• Cost Volatility: If silver prices spike, solar system costs rise disproportionately, since silver is irreplaceable in high‑efficiency designs.
• Innovation Pressure: Manufacturers are researching copper and aluminum alternatives to reduce reliance on silver.
• Macro Link: Silver’s dual role as an industrial and precious metal means solar demand directly influences global silver markets.
✅ In summary: Silver makes up about 5–10% of the cost of a solar system, with each panel using ~20 grams of silver. Rising silver prices are a growing challenge for solar economics.
Sources: International Precious Metals Institute, Resource World, MiningVisuals
227
AD
2025 Nov 22, 1:24pm
AD
2025 Nov 22, 1:24pm
$$$ seems like silver will be one of the most major cost components of solar panels $$$
228
MolotovCocktail
2025 Nov 22, 5:20pm
MolotovCocktail
2025 Nov 22, 5:20pm
Forgot one more implication:
If silver prices skyrocket, panels on top of homes will suddenly go missing like catalytic converters on cars parked outside currently do.
AD says
But...but..I was told by 'experts' that commercial graphene/buckeypaper to deal with this was just around the corner!
If silver prices skyrocket, panels on top of homes will suddenly go missing like catalytic converters on cars parked outside currently do.
AD says
Innovation Pressure: Manufacturers are researching copper and aluminum alternatives to reduce reliance on silver
But...but..I was told by 'experts' that commercial graphene/buckeypaper to deal with this was just around the corner!
230
Patrick
2025 Nov 30, 5:14pm
Patrick
2025 Nov 30, 5:14pm
I don't remember solar roadways.
Seems like it could be a good idea if technically possible.
Seems like it could be a good idea if technically possible.
231
REpro
2025 Nov 30, 11:53pm
REpro
2025 Nov 30, 11:53pm
Patrick says
Progress is when technically possible meets profitability.
In new green deal progress is if: Pay for your guilt right now, you M*** F***.
I don't remember solar roadways.
Seems like it could be a good idea if technically possible.
Progress is when technically possible meets profitability.
In new green deal progress is if: Pay for your guilt right now, you M*** F***.
232
WookieMan
2025 Dec 1, 12:30pm
WookieMan
2025 Dec 1, 12:30pm
REpro says
Skid resistance with tires and the road. It's a non-starter from a governmental level and also the solar aspect. I'm in the know. Engineers have alway laughed at this idea.
Traction aside, put a plow or salt on it? A semi at 80k lbs or an even heavier load and it's destroyed. It could only be done on pedestrian walkways and that would maybe get you 1k homes powered in the southwest. It was a 15 year high schooler idea that was just that, was never realistic.
Patrick says
I don't remember solar roadways.
Seems like it could be a good idea if technically possible.
Progress is when technically possible meets profitability.
In new green deal progress is if: Pay for your guilt right now, you M*** F***.
Skid resistance with tires and the road. It's a non-starter from a governmental level and also the solar aspect. I'm in the know. Engineers have alway laughed at this idea.
Traction aside, put a plow or salt on it? A semi at 80k lbs or an even heavier load and it's destroyed. It could only be done on pedestrian walkways and that would maybe get you 1k homes powered in the southwest. It was a 15 year high schooler idea that was just that, was never realistic.
234
WookieMan
2025 Dec 1, 4:19pm
WookieMan
2025 Dec 1, 4:19pm
MolotovCocktail says
Yes there are retarded nut bags that think it is a good idea. Plenty of people have presented x,y and z inventions but it doesn't happen. It's a marketing scheme to make money and provide nothing. They made a 10'x10' pad for $10k and got a couple million out of it.
Solar has to be angled to provide the most bang for the buck. Throw in the elements and weight of vehicles it's a non-starter. And then government restrictions on skid resistance. Like I said, a high schooler science project idea. Not happening in 99.9% of the cases with ideas like this.
https://solarroadways.com/
https://youtu.be/qlTA3rnpgzU?si=G1HGlyUIkqYtkJlR
Yes there are retarded nut bags that think it is a good idea. Plenty of people have presented x,y and z inventions but it doesn't happen. It's a marketing scheme to make money and provide nothing. They made a 10'x10' pad for $10k and got a couple million out of it.
Solar has to be angled to provide the most bang for the buck. Throw in the elements and weight of vehicles it's a non-starter. And then government restrictions on skid resistance. Like I said, a high schooler science project idea. Not happening in 99.9% of the cases with ideas like this.
235
Patrick
2025 Dec 1, 9:00pm
Patrick
2025 Dec 1, 9:00pm
An area about the size of Georgia has been paved in the US. Seems like an awful lot of wasted energy to just heat the blacktop.
Maybe it could all be covered with roofs which tilt to face the sun and drop snow. Or maybe it's just pointless in cold climates.
Grok tells me that setting up only 1/5 of that area in the Mojave would suffice for all US electricity needs, if you could deliver it.
Maybe it could all be covered with roofs which tilt to face the sun and drop snow. Or maybe it's just pointless in cold climates.
Grok tells me that setting up only 1/5 of that area in the Mojave would suffice for all US electricity needs, if you could deliver it.
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I did the math of Tesla solar panels. Cost is $17.4K after tax incentives. It would cover my monthly electricity bill of $230/mo on average. Add in a powerwall will increase the cost by $8k. Without the powerwall, it’s about 15% ROI. What am I missing?