Several new solar power plants are under consideration in such locations as California and New Mexico who have regular patterns of Sun. It is fair game to inquire, then, on the overall effectiveness and practicality of solar power systems on the large scale. How much can solar power be used to provide for America’s energy base?
The answer proposed is fairly simple. Dollar for dollar solar power plants can’t compete with the raw power output of a combustion based power facility. The energy trapped in coal, natural gas, and diesel fuel is very concentrated and very potent. As long as these fuels can be obtained for a reasonable price, they will outperform the renewables market for many years to come.
Combustible fuels can be thought of concentrated and stored solar energy from millenia before and in that sense are not really a bad thing. Without fossil fuels we would have no way to support our industrial base and would be without out many of our modern technologies.
Most of our comforts and commercial activities are founded on several industries. This foundation includes the mining of ores from the Earth, and the manufacturing of raw materials such as aluminum, iron, steel, copper, and more. It includes plants to produce airplanes, automobiles, machinery, tools, electronics and every little gadget we use on a regular basis. It also includes large machinery required for harvesting lumber and other agricultural products.
The reality is our regular daily lives are very electricity intensive. This energy consumption is rooted in the infrastructure that bolsters our economy and our existence and the reality is it is supported by energy generated through combustion.
And here is the fundamental problem with large solar power plants. They can’t supply adequate energy to support America’s industrial base. This does not mean they are irrelevant or undesireable. It just means solar power systems make the most sense when used in residential and small commercial applications where energy consumption is moderate.
As an example, a 500 MegaWatt combustion power plant can fit in a relatively small space, less than a 1/4 square mile without much difficulty. When considering a photovoltaic solar power plant, nearly 1,140 acres (almost 2 square miles) of solar panels would have to be installed to equal this same capacity. This is 2 square miles of actual solar panels, and does not account for the mounting and maintenance space. Being that solar panels provide peak power only 5 to 7 hours per day, then apples to apples we’re only getting the total output with more than eight times the space!
In locations that make sense, we need to include solar power solutions as part of our energy portfolio. Our modern combustion technologies deserve recognition. Modern technology in combustion power plants create clean and efficient power with very high reliability 24 hours a day. The highly concentrated energy source of fossile fuels is simply too great to ignore as it relates to powering America’s industrial base.
Learn more about solar power. Stop by Jim’s site where you can find out all about solar power and what it can do for you.
