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Old 07-21-2008, 11:51 AM
strictlypersonl strictlypersonl is offline
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Location: New Britain, CT
Cobra Make, Engine: Size 10 Feet
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Solar insolation (the Sun's energy reaching the Earth's surface) is about 0.4 KW per square meter during the daytime (let's say 10 hours - optimistic...). Solar panels are about 10% efficient, so you would be getting .04 KW/sqM/hour=0.4 KW per day per square meter.

Your car needs 5-100 KW for driving. So... for an hour's driving you would need a minimum of about 50 square meters of PVs to generate 20 KWH. With a small car and brake regeneration, you might be able to get away with 10 KWH in the city.

Somebody should check my math. I'm doing this on the run...
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