Make A Wind Turbine

Many solar power plant projects are being considered in locations like New Mexico and California where there are consistent and regular patterns of sunshine.  It is therefore reasonable to consider the overall effectiveness and practicality of solar power plants on a large scale.  How much can solar power be used to provide for America’s energy base?

The answer proposed is fairly simple.  Pound for pound solar power stations do not compete well with the raw output of a combustion based energy station.  The energy locked up in combustible fuels such as coal, natural gas, and diesel is enormous.  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 combustion we would have to sacrifice our industrial base and many of our modern technologies.

Most of our comforts and commercial activities are founded on several industries.  This foundation includes processing raw materials like aluminum, iron, copper, steel, and more.  This includes plants that produce machinery, tools, cars, airplanes and all the gadgets and gizmos we use in everyday life.  It also includes sawmills and heavy machinery used for the harvesting of lumber and 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 they are irrelevant or undesireable.  It means solar energy systems make the most sense in small commercial and residential applications where energy consumption is lower.

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 nothinig but solar panels, not even allowing for maintenance access roads and other maintenance space.  Because solar panels produce peak power with the peak amount of sun then we only get a fourth of the total output for eight times the amount of space!

Where there is plenty of sun and good weather we need to use solar power solutions to supplement 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.

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