Dept of Energy addresses Myths about Solar Electricity 2003

[kristopher]

Myths about Solar Electricity
The area required for PV systems to supply the United States with its electricity is available now from parking lots, rooftops, and vacant land.

Solar electric systems are an important part of the whole-building approach to constructing a better home or commercial building. Although these systems have delivered clean, reliable power for more than a decade, several myths have evolved that confuse the real issues of using solar electricity effectively.

Myth #1
Solar electricity cannot contribute a significant fraction of the nation’s electricity needs.

Solar electric panels can meet electricity demand on any scale, from a single home to a large city. There is plenty of energy in the sunlight shining on all parts of our nation to generate the electricity we need. For example, with today’s commercial systems, the solar energy resource in a 100-by-100-mile area of Nevada could supply the United States with all of its electricity. If these systems were distributed to the
50 states, the land required from each state would be an area of about 17 by 17 miles. This area is available now from parking lots, rooftops, and vacant land. In fact, 90% of America’s current electricity needs could be supplied with solar electric systems built on the estimated 5 million acres of abandoned industrial sites in our nation’s cities.

Myth #2 ** (see footnote added by K)
Solar electricity can do everything—right now!

Solar electricity will eventually contribute a significant part of our electricity supply, but the industry required to produce these systems must grow more than tenfold over the next 10 years. In 2001, about 400 megawatts of solar electric modules were produced worldwide. According to an industry-planning document, in order to supply just 10% of U.S. generation capacity by 2030, the U.S. solar electricity industry must supply more than 3,200 megawatts per year. Most experts agree that with continued research, solar electric systems will become more efficient, even more reliable, and less expensive.

Myth #3
Producing solar electric systems creates pollution and uses more energy than the system can produce over its lifetime.

Producing solar electric systems uses energy and produces some unwanted byproducts. However, most solar electric systems pay back the energy used to produce them in about one year. Because the systems generally last 30 years, during the 30 years of a system's life, it is producing free and clean electricity for 29 of those years.
Production of solar electric systems is regulated by rigorous safety and pollution control standards. In addition, during the lifetime of a solar electric system, pollution that would have been emitted by conventional generation of electricity is avoided. For each kilowatt of solar electric generating capacity, the pollution avoided by not using fossil fuels to produce electricity amounts to 9 kilograms of sulfuric oxide, 16 kilograms of nitrous oxide, and between 600 and 2,300 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year. The annual amount of carbon dioxide offset by a 2.5-kW rooftop residential solar electric system is equal to that emitted by a typical family car during that same year.

Myth #4
Solar electric systems make sense in only a few applications.

Solar electric systems make sense nearly anywhere electricity is needed. Homes and businesses that are already using electricity from the utility, such as homes, businesses, and electric-vehicle charging stations, represent nearly 60% of the market for solar electric systems. The number of these grid-connected applications is growing because they make sense economically, environmentally, and aesthetically. Solar electric systems make economic sense because they use free fuel from the sun and require little upkeep because they have no moving parts. Every bit of electricity produced is used in the home or sold back to the electric utility for use by other customers. Solar electric systems also make sense for the environment and can blend seamlessly into the design of a building.

Myth #5
Solar electric systems are unreliable and produce substandard electricity.

Solar electric systems are some of the most reliable products available today. They are silent, have no moving parts, and have been tested to rigorous standards by public and private organizations. Many solar electric products have been tested and listed by Underwriters Laboratories, just as electrical appliances are. Warranties of 20-25 years are standard for most modules.
Solar electric systems connected to the utility grid generate the same kind of power as that from the power line. Today’s systems must meet the requirements of the National Electrical Code, the local utility, and local building codes. Once these systems are installed according to these requirements, the owner of a solar-electric-powered home has electricity of the same quality as any other utility customer.

Myth #6
It is difficult to make solar electric systems aesthetically pleasing and functional for homes and businesses.

The buildings shown here include solar electric systems serving dual functions: building structure and generation of electricity. These photos represent only a small sample of the beautiful, functional, and energy-efficient buildings being designed with solar electric components. (download for photos- link below)
In the future, people will reflect on our current solar electric technology much as we reflect on the technology of the Model T Ford: with admiration for the pioneering visionaries of the day and perhaps amusement at the technology that seems so primitive compared to what we now enjoy. Researchers believe that in the future, new physics and technologies will be developed that will greatly improve solar energy technology. As for the present day, clean, reliable solar electricity is increasingly popular with home and business owners, which helps to dispel the myths surrounding this technology.


Produced for the U.S. Department of Energy by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a DOE national laboratory
DOE/GO-102003-1671 January 2003

www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/pdfs/32529.pdf


**At the time this DOE pamphlet was written, the US was the leader in PV - now we are 5th. The global solar manufacturing capacity is now more relevant since the Republicans have successfully obstructed every policy that would have helped the industry grow here. You can see from this discussion, however, that China's manufacturing capacity is expected to hit 35GW/year this year. That compares to the 3GW of manufacturing capacity identified in myth #2.

Before 2007, China wasn't even on the radar. After Fukushima, what do you think they are going to do?

[JDPriestly]

1. K&R

Ten years is not all that long. We should start really working on this now.

[kristopher]

2. I actually stopped being too worried about climate change and nuclear last year

Chinese academics did their first comprehensive assessment of China's renewable energy resources. About 1 month after the report was released, China took a huge step: they rewrote their laws governing how the grid operators are required to purchase electricity. Before they purchased the least cost generation first, and if they needed more they moved to the more expensive types of generation. That meant in effect that coal, with its externalized cost advantage was the preferred choice for investors because they were guaranteed to sell everything they could produce.

They changed the law to require the grid operators to first buy ALL available renewables, and then go to the old least cost model for more.

What that means is that there is now more certainty for investors if they build renewables than if the build plants requiring fuels.

That, in turn, means they will not be following in our footsteps.

Since they have so little of the infrastructure in place, what will develop will be oriented around the generating characteristics of renewables and the result will be a "distributed grid" instead of a centralized thermal grid.

The manufacturing infrastructure to accomplish this will be so large it will put coal and nuclear out of business throughout the world.

It will take a while, but unless they alter their seeming intentions, it is highly probable.

[Zoeisright]

3. I have never understood that "not aesthetically pleasing" bullshit.

A coal plant, a coal mine, an oil well, and nuke plants are extremely ugly. And they kill. I love the look of windmills, and when I see solar collectors, I think "smart and green".

Clean energy is more "aesthetically pleasing" than sickness and death, thank you.

[kristopher]

4. I think most people are that way.

Research shows an interesting point related to that, however.

Apparently functionality is an important part of the visual pleasure people get from seeing windmills as when the blades aren't in motion the number of those who "like the appearance" drops dramatically.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. I Believe That

I know when i go back the wind farm near Pontiac IL, i see the blades not moving and wonder "what's with that"? Not so much an aesthetic thing for me, but makes me go "Hmmmm".

So, i can see how others might think "well why aren't those ugly things at least spinning?"
GAC

[PADemD]

6. These street lights are aesthetically pleasing

Wind and Solar Powered Streetlights at Panasonic Japan

http://www.ubergizmo.com/2008/01/wind-and-solar-powered-streetlights-at-panasonic-japan/

[kristopher]

8. LOL. They are certainly unlike anything I've ever seen before.

I think I need to see that in person to get a full appreciation. Thanks.

[kristopher]

7. Reference link for footnote in OP

http://247wallst.com/2011/01/13/a-new-year-in-solar-energy-mth-csiq-wfr-jks-ldk-fslr-spwra/

Ooops.

[txlibdem]

9. Solar electricity can do everything—right now!

That is not a myth. We can get 100% of the energy we need for our daily living from solar, both for our homes and our businesses.

Rooftop solar cannot provide enough all by itself but when combined with giant solar PV and solar thermal power plants in the desert southwest it can. Most parts of the south get 5 to 5.5 hours of peak solar power and the northern half generally gets 4 to 4.5 hours per day. The desert southwest gets between 6 and 7 hours of peak solar each day. Simple math tells me that all we need to have is enough energy storage to supply our electrical needs for the remaining hours but it's not that simple. (Refer to the graph here: http://sroeco.com/solar/ or here: http://www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html )

Electricity demand currently falls off sharply at 6pm ( http://www.mpoweruk.com/electricity_demand.htm ) which would ordinarily mean just a few hours of energy storage might be needed. But when you factor in the coming dominance of electric vehicles (which are needed to end our deadly addiction to fossil fuels like oil), that peak could well extend past midnight as people arrive at home and plug in for a recharge. That means at least 8 hours of energy storage are needed and 12 hours of storage would be preferable to ensure a stable energy supply.

Given that the number of electric cars will be relatively low in the next 10 years perhaps solar power plants could start with 8 hours of energy storage and add more hours later on. The only thing that is lacking is the will to do it and the (not so) small issue of how much it would cost. But anyone who tells you that solar cannot provide for all of our energy needs is fooling either themselves or trying to fool you.

/edit to add links to solar potential for USA - forgot, whoops!

[Yo_Mama]

10. How do you expect them to store the electricity?

I really want to know.

Storage problems are a big issue for not just solar but any other intermittent source.

Also, in areas in which people use heat pumps for heating and cooling, electricity use doesn't fall off as described in the evening during colder seasons.

I think they are correct on this one.

[txlibdem]

11. Energy storage

There is a wealth of info on the web that covers energy storage for renewables quite extensively. There is hydro, basically pumped water via either tanks or an open-air reservoir. Also batteries, and compressed air (in underground chambers or tanks). For solar thermal there are molten salts and heated air.

For power conditioning, flywheel storage would be great to smooth out the second-by-second peaks and valleys in energy demand versus energy supply. Flywheels could also one day be a multi-hour energy storage solution.

[Yo_Mama]

12. But none are adequate to the task

Seriously.

Not even REMOTELY adequate to the task of replacement.

Also everyone needs to keep in mind that there is an energy tax for shifting it from one form to another, and also additional investment.

Some of the thermal solar plant designs I have looked at seem to have a pretty good solution, but we still nowhere near replacement.