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Surur t1_iveoddk wrote

Reply to comment by kamoylan in Rooftop solar trumps all fossil fuels as renewables smash more records on main grid [Australia] by EnergyTransitionNews

According to Tony Seba solar panels are now becoming so cheap, they can be used as construction material.

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Mernic666 t1_ivgrryd wrote

Up vote for having watched Seba's latest series. I think I rewatched 6 times over the weekend (road trip in sunny Australia). Heh.

I suspect that this example was hyperbole on Seba's part, as the retail cost of structural plywood is still a hell of a lot cheaper than solar panels in AU, and I don't think they have the same structural qualities.

However, the point that they can be used as a substitute for exterior wall flashing, even if the primary purpose of producing electricity is significantly reduced by not being positioned for maximum efficiency, was not lost on me.

I wonder what purposes they'll serve at the end of the decade when they have reduced in cost by another 75%, and the 'possibility space' continues to open...

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Surur t1_ivgvo29 wrote

Funnily enough, I came across a real-life example where a guy on youtube said the same thing, but in practice.

https://youtu.be/bXd-aP06lug?t=502

With the price of wood these days it may actually be true.

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