--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Photovoltaics are a great technology for…" description: "\"Photovoltaics are a great technology for certain applications, and, in fact, we invest in photovoltaic technologies. But they're not good substitutes f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/vinod-khosla-5401_climate_photovoltaics-are-a-great-technology-for_2222686.png" --- # Photovoltaics are a great technology for certain… ![“Photovoltaics are a great technology for certain applications, and, in fact, we invest in photovoltaic technologies. But they're not good substitutes for grid electricity.” quote by Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/vinod-khosla-5401_climate_photovoltaics-are-a-great-technology-for_2222686.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/vinod-khosla-5401_climate_photovoltaics-are-a-great-technology-for_2222686.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/vinod-khosla-5401_climate_photovoltaics-are-a-great-technology-for_2222686.png) > “Photovoltaics are a great technology for certain applications, and, in fact, we invest in photovoltaic technologies. But they're not good substitutes for grid electricity.” [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Photovoltaics excel in niche roles but cannot fully replace conventional grid power due to reliability and scale limits. **In simple terms:** Solar is niche, not universal. Key Takeaway Deploy solar where it fits best. Themes energy technology limitations Mood analytical pragmatic Type technical business When to use this quote - remote villages - off‑grid homes - industrial sites Key Concepts renewables grid integration economics Questions to Reflect On - Where is solar most effective? - What complements solar for reliability? A Different Perspective Grid reliance may persist despite solar growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Electricity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electricity/) [Photovoltaic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photovoltaic/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [“It really should be a criminal offense for an electrician to mount a breaker box on a bedroom wall. Unfortunately, I see the solar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-really-should-be-a-criminal-offense-for-an-electrician-to-mount-a/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Undersized solar photovoltaic circuits that have not been de-rated for heat are known to spontaneously go on fire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/undersized-solar-photovoltaic-circuits-that-have-not-been-de-rated/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Regarding solar power systems, the bigger the system is, the more likely it may go on fire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/regarding-solar-power-systems-the-bigger-the-system-is-the-more/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“After I left the largest solar photovoltaic power plant in the USA, I never worked at a solar farm again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/after-i-left-the-largest-solar-photovoltaic-power-plant-in-the-usa-i/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I was the manager of the largest solar photovoltaic power system in the USA in 2009.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-was-the-manager-of-the-largest-solar-photovoltaic-power-system-in/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Things must be getting bad in the solar photovoltaic industry if they are now required to install solar module level DC shutdown systems!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/things-must-be-getting-bad-in-the-solar-photovoltaic-industry-if-they/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Once a DC arc fault has started in a solar photovoltaic system, it can be catastrophic!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/once-a-dc-arc-fault-has-started-in-a-solar-photovoltaic-system-it-can/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Solar photovoltaic companies did not appear to be adequately de-rating their electrical components for heat when I worked in the field.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/solar-photovoltaic-companies-did-not-appear-to-be-adequately-de/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Badly built solar photovoltaic systems do not age well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/badly-built-solar-photovoltaic-systems-do-not-age-well/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [My wife and I have purchased two hybrids. We bought a 3 kw photovoltaic unit. We recycle and offset our carbon emissions on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gustave-speth/my-wife-and-i-have-purchased-two-hybrids-we-bought-a-3-kw/) [James Gustave Speth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gustave-speth/) > [“Solar photovoltaic systems that have been designed by what the solar photovoltaic module electrical ratings states for its current should be expected to overheat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/solar-photovoltaic-systems-that-have-been-designed-by-what-the-solar/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The bigger the solar photovoltaic system is, the more likely it is to go on fire!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-bigger-the-solar-photovoltaic-system-is-the-more-likely-it-is-to/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Many solar photovoltaic designers have built systems based on the electrical ratings on the solar module, not realizing that a solar module can put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/many-solar-photovoltaic-designers-have-built-systems-based-on-the/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The most disappointing of the jobs I had was the ‘Green’ solar photovoltaic industry. I had three jobs in the field. Two of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-most-disappointing-of-the-jobs-i-had-was-the-green-solar/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Very few people that have installed solar photovoltaics (PV) on their home have realized that by spending an additional five thousand dollars that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/very-few-people-that-have-installed-solar-photovoltaics-pv-on-their/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More by Vinod Khosla > [My willingness to fail gives me the ability to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/my-willingness-to-fail-gives-me-the-ability-to-succeed/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [The world is hung up on food-based biofuels. Not only are they the wrong thing, they're the uneconomic thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/the-world-is-hung-up-on-food-based-biofuels-not-only-are-they-the/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [I generally disagree with most of the very high margin opportunities. Why? Because it's a business strategy tradeoff: the lower the margin you take,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/i-generally-disagree-with-most-of-the-very-high-margin-opportunities/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [The probability of failure doesn't matter to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/the-probability-of-failure-doesn-t-matter-to-me/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [If I collected all the diamonds in the world, I'd have no 'income' but I'd have a lot of 'assets'. Would my company be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/if-i-collected-all-the-diamonds-in-the-world-i-d-have-no-income-but-i/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [What an entrepreneur does is to build for the long run. If the market is great, you get all of the resources you can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/what-an-entrepreneur-does-is-to-build-for-the-long-run-if-the-market/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [New industries are created by entrepreneurs who don't necessarily have subject matter expertise when they get started, yet they are still responsible for most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/new-industries-are-created-by-entrepreneurs-who-don-t-necessarily/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [I don’t mind failing, but if I succeed it better be worth succeeding for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/i-don-t-mind-failing-but-if-i-succeed-it-better-be-worth-succeeding/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [I believe cellulosic fuels, biofuels made from nonfood crops are the only solution that will make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/i-believe-cellulosic-fuels-biofuels-made-from-nonfood-crops-are-the/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [You have to invent the future you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/you-have-to-invent-the-future-you-want/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [Hopefully, I can advise entrepreneurs to avoid mistakes. But you can never be sure if you're trying something new and unreasonable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/hopefully-i-can-advise-entrepreneurs-to-avoid-mistakes-but-you-can/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [Seeking an acquisition from the start is more than just bad advice for an entrepreneur. For the entrepreneur it leads to short term tactical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/seeking-an-acquisition-from-the-start-is-more-than-just-bad-advice/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [Letting the perfect be the enemy of the good is one of the reasons we have a coal-dependent infrastructure, with the resulting environmental impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/letting-the-perfect-be-the-enemy-of-the-good-is-one-of-the-reasons-we/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [Germany has a lot of solar power. In fact, in 2005, some 55 or 57 percent of worldwide installations were photovoltaics in Germany. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/germany-has-a-lot-of-solar-power-in-fact-in-2005-some-55-or-57/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [The willingness to fail gives us the freedom to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/the-willingness-to-fail-gives-us-the-freedom-to-succeed/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) [Explore all 101 Vinod Khosla quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) ## More Climate quotes > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [There are many more traits that the climate deniers share with the creationists and Holocaust deniers and others who distort the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-r-prothero/there-are-many-more-traits-that-the-climate-deniers-share-with-the/) [Donald R. Prothero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-r-prothero/) > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/climate-change-poses-clear-catastrophic-threats-we-may-not-agree-on/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [We live in a state with a wonderful climate and plenty of natural beauty, from the shores of Cumberland Island to the Chattahoochee River…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/we-live-in-a-state-with-a-wonderful-climate-and-plenty-of-natural/) [Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/) > [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) [Browse all 8,549 Climate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Photovoltaics are a great technology for certain applications, and, in fact, we invest in photovoltaic technologies. But they're not good substitutes for grid electricity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vinod Khosla" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/photovoltaics-are-a-great-technology-for-certain-applications-and-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Climate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/photovoltaics-are-a-great-technology-for-certain-applications-and-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/vinod-khosla-5401_climate_photovoltaics-are-a-great-technology-for_2222686.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/vinod-khosla-5401_climate_photovoltaics-are-a-great-technology-for_2222686.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d40/vinod-khosla-5401_climate_photovoltaics-are-a-great-technology-for_2222686.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Photovoltaics are a great technology for certain applications, and, in fact, we invest in photovoltaic…” — Vinod Khosla", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Vinod Khosla", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Photovoltaics are a great technology for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/photovoltaics-are-a-great-technology-for-certain-applications-and-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/photovoltaics-are-a-great-technology-for-certain-applications-and-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```