Solar Power At The Industrial Level
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.
Here lies the basic problem with large solar power stations. They cannot supply enough energy to support America’s industrial base. This does not mean that they are undesirable or irrelevant. It means solar energy systems make the most sense in small commercial and residential applications where energy consumption is lower.
A 500 MW fossil fuel power plant can squeeze into a relatively small area of a quarter square mile without much challenge. 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 nothinig but solar panels, not even allowing for maintenance access roads and other maintenance space. Considering solar panels make peak power with the peak sunshine of the day then when you compare apples to apples we only get a quarter of the total output with more than eight times the space!
Where the weather and sunshine justify the use of solar power we need to integrate this useful power source into our energy portfolio. We must pay homage, however, to our modern combustion technologies. Modern combustion systems are cleaner and more efficient than ever before, and provide enormous amounts of power 24 hours a day. The energy density of fossil fuels is just to high to ignore when it comes 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.
