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Comment by momoschili

10 hours ago

you realize the factor of 2 you introduce doesn't meaningfully change the order of magnitude that the previous poster is implying right?

You missed the point.

We can make ten or hundred times the number of solar cells we make right now, we just don't have a reason to. The technology is fairly ancient unless you want to compete on efficiency, and the raw materials abundant.

  •   >We can make ten or hundred times the number of solar cells we make right now
    

    Tomorrow?

    The limit isn't just about the current capacity or the maximum theoretical capacity, it's also about the maximum speed you can ramp.

    • Surely the constraint will be the rate at which you can get them into and installed orbit, not the manufacturing rate

  • you would need 200 times the number of solar cells. I don't think you appreciate the scale that 200x is, especially when China is already:

    1. quite good at making solar cells

    2. quite motivated to increase their energy production via solar

    • The bottleneck is deploying solar physically, not making the cells.

      We have increased the manufacturing of pretty much every piece of technology you see in front you by 200x at some point in history. Often in a matter of years.

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