How much would it cost to install a solar panel capable of creating enough fuel for your car?

Question

I just want to know if it's feasible, maybe someone who reads this

knows something about it. In a suburban environment of say... Boston MA, USA how much money would someone have to spend to install a solar panel that could generate enough hydrogen and oxygen from the electrolysis of water to power the average car that had a 64% efficiency overall (80% fuel cell, 80% efficiency of motor/inverter)

Could this also be done in less sunny but windy places with vertical wind energy collectors? At what price?

Answer 1

You do want to assume a lot, like your efficiency numbers. The lowest cost photovoltaic panels, without any control modules etc, cost about a dollar per watt, fob factory, not installed.

Now they will give you 8 watt hours of power per day, or let us say you would need $120 for panels that would give you 1 kWH per day.

I think you could create a completed installation for 400 per kWH per day assuming you use your car the same amount each day.

Now electric 'cars' can be anything from a converted hummer that would go round the block on a kWH to a 4 wheel electrically assisted bicycle that might go 100 km with passengers pedalling. So  decide how many times $200 your daily habit sould cost you.

Understand that you would be unwise to buy this for just your car. A big part of the cost is going to be batteries that will be needed to store power, or to power your home.

Those most economical PV cells are not anywhere close to 35% efficient. try 9%.