Hi Everyone Been lurking around here, lots of great information to be had. I am Torcan, aka James from TORonto,CANada, hence the handle thought I would share as my first post something I cam across on another forum this might seem way out there, but it does look promising Solar Roadways !!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlTA3rnpgzU
solar panels use silver in the electronics increased demand of silver could give silver spot a nice little boost
Read this. It's estimated that over 50 million ounces of silver will be devoted to just the solar industry this year. China's proposed boost from 7 to 35 GW in capacity would translate into a global increase of 27%, from 102.2 GW last year to 130.2 GW in 2015. Meanwhile, Japan is expected to overtake Germany as the world's largest solar energy user. An estimated 5.3 GW of generation capacitythe equivalent of five nuclear reactorswill be added this year, according to a report from HIS Inc., a US-based research firm. All this extra capacity could have a significant impact on the silver market. According to the Silver Institute, approximately 80 tonnes of silver are required to generate one GW of electricity. With 5.3 GW of new capacity in Japan in 2013 and 30 GW from China, a staggering 2,824 tonnes, or roughly 91 million ounces of silver, will be required over the next three years for just this industry. This amount is nearly two times current worldwide demand from the PV industry. Demand from China and Japan alone could consume up to 11% of global mine supply. And that's if the world continues to produce as much silver as it did last year, a questionable assumption given currently lower silver prices and increasing difficulties getting mines permitted.
Geez does this come from zerohedge or so? Estimations. Expectations. Wow words. 2824 tonnes isn't staggering. It's less than 10% of worlds annual traded. And why linking GW production to silver amounts? It's not like that they gonna throw those solar panels in the garbage bin after they produced that GW haha. It's a one time in a long time purchase. And solar panels aren't even thrown in the garbage bin, they are recycled, in our very present day already, and any higher price will just encourage to do that even more. And don't forget our existing silver stocks. Yes, that includes our stacks. We won't throw it in the garbage bin, no? We will sell it, yes? Over the period 1997-2003 586.299 Moz was removed from the stockpile. Over the period 2004-2012 647.703 Moz readded to the stockpile. These totals are based on the following formula: Stockpiling = (-Net Government Sales) + (-Implied Net Disinvestment) + Jewelry + Coins & Medals - Old Silver Scrap Applied to 1997-2003 this gives -83.757 Moz/YEAR Applied to 2004-2012 this gives 71.967 Moz/YEAR The rate difference between both periods (and the $5 versus the $30) was thus a 156 Moz per year change. With 648 Moz stockpiled, 648/91 = 7.12 times that solar panel 'expected' amount. And as said, that's just a single shot, since they won't throw the solar panels away after that 1 gigawatt production. They may serve for decades.
I wonder if people will start ripping up the roads in remote areas to scrap these for thier silver content
Hi Torcan (from Kitco haha) The Solar thing was in vogue a while back but I'm pretty sure the gov all but gave up on the dynamics. Subsidies, which included our taxes mind you, where halted? Welcome buddy anyway & hey, anything that chews up the ol' silver is more than welcome.....
I would love solar roads. They heat in the winter and light at night. Seems like a no brainer to me if they can do it efficiently
Here, in America, the streets are said to be paved with gold - but in Chicago, the Streets Department can barely keep the potholes filled with asphalt. We have a large enough problem with scavengers stealing sewer grates to sell for scrap metal, so I seriously doubt that we will see our streets paved with silver panels anytime soon.
