Postponed Gratification

This must be the byword of photovoltaics. Could anything be more out of tune with its age?

Invest big, now; make money slowly, later.

Invest big, now; get nearly free electricity, later.

Invest now, reduce CO2 later.

Work now, sit on your laurels, later.

Even worse: subsidize now, reduce costs for later.

So many things about PV have the form: pay a large amount now (invested money, energy, CO2), get paid back slowly but in a big way, later:

Reward(t) = Slow payback(t) – One Big, Up-front Cost

Just as a reminder of some other things like this, let’s recall the beauty of:

• Bridges and tunnels
• Highways
• Roads
• Water supplies from distant sources
• Cars and trucks
• Manufacturing equipment
• Houses and buildings
• Flood control and dams
• Laws and regulations
• Standards and codes
• The Constitution
• Public health policy

Are you vague about standards, codes, laws, regulations, the Constitution being like this? Think of Haiti – think of the costs of building codes in San Francisco, and compare that to a lack of codes in Haiti. Up front cost. Think of signing and living by a contract instead of stealing.

These are the bases of civilization.

If PV is out of tune with our times, we are out of tune with civilization.

We can do better.

Ken Zweibel