Driving to work this morning and an energy expert said solar energy would have to triple its current footprint to get to 10% of energy needs in summer and 1.5% in winter, simply doesn’t scale? I’m no expert but if he is 50% correct get ready for rolling blackouts. This energy expert said only nuclear, natural gas and coal could be the backbone to any energy grid and certain regions were going to find out the hard-way.
Solar Energy- less then .5% of US energy needs in Winter?
- Thread starter DawgWCK
- Start date
From a Government website:
Highest Capacity Factor by Energy Source:
Nuclear 92.5%
Geothermal 74.3%
Natural Gas 56.6%
Hydro 41.5%
Coal 40.2%
Wind 35.4%
Solar 24.9%
This basically means nuclear power plants are producing maximum power more than 92% of the time during the year.
That’s about nearly 2 times more as natural gas and coal units, and almost 3 times or more reliable than wind and solar plants.
People can argue the risks...which I understand. Here is a quick summary of signifcant issues in over 50 years:
There have been two major reactor accidents in the history of civil nuclear power – Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi. Chernobyl involved an intense fire without provision for containment, and Fukushima Daiichi severely tested the containment, allowing some release of radioactivity.
For the US:
The Three Mile Island Unit 2 reactor, near Middletown, Pa., partially melted down on March 28, 1979. This was the most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant operating history, although its small radioactive releases had no detectable health effects on plant workers or the public.
Basically, they are good at what they do. The main problem is disposal of nuclear waste, which is constantly being reviewed on how to improve this process or use the material in other ways. However, these power plants do not emit carbon dioxide as they are not burning fossil fuels so it is better for the atmosphere than other methods of energy production.
In short...solar and wind may be "cleaner: (although there are elements of these methods that have their own environmental impact) they are not nearly as efficient. We should continue to pursue cleaner methods, but there has to be a "meet the need in the best way possible" thought process until we get there.
Highest Capacity Factor by Energy Source:
Nuclear 92.5%
Geothermal 74.3%
Natural Gas 56.6%
Hydro 41.5%
Coal 40.2%
Wind 35.4%
Solar 24.9%
This basically means nuclear power plants are producing maximum power more than 92% of the time during the year.
That’s about nearly 2 times more as natural gas and coal units, and almost 3 times or more reliable than wind and solar plants.
People can argue the risks...which I understand. Here is a quick summary of signifcant issues in over 50 years:
There have been two major reactor accidents in the history of civil nuclear power – Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi. Chernobyl involved an intense fire without provision for containment, and Fukushima Daiichi severely tested the containment, allowing some release of radioactivity.
For the US:
The Three Mile Island Unit 2 reactor, near Middletown, Pa., partially melted down on March 28, 1979. This was the most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant operating history, although its small radioactive releases had no detectable health effects on plant workers or the public.
Basically, they are good at what they do. The main problem is disposal of nuclear waste, which is constantly being reviewed on how to improve this process or use the material in other ways. However, these power plants do not emit carbon dioxide as they are not burning fossil fuels so it is better for the atmosphere than other methods of energy production.
In short...solar and wind may be "cleaner: (although there are elements of these methods that have their own environmental impact) they are not nearly as efficient. We should continue to pursue cleaner methods, but there has to be a "meet the need in the best way possible" thought process until we get there.
Dims will have us all living in caves and freezing in the winter if we don't stop them. So many gullible idiots in this world buy their crap.
That’s so f dumb. Nobody is going to be living in caves or freezing as the result of a Democratic energy policy.
Deregulate ! Look at Texas - the rich are richer, and the people that freeze to death are very dead.
Don't understand how cutting down forests and replacing with low energy solar panels is green. Plus don't trees eat up the Boogeyman CO2?
True, but we didn’t decommission pay phones before we got the cell tower infrastructure up and running . Moreover, not sure that is a fair comparison as this expert thinks it will never be scalable, ie solar energy. Regardless, his point was a vacuum is coming where supply does not equal demand, and it will not be good. No idea, thought it was good listening .
I would never say never. There's a lot of things experts didn't think were possible that are now. I'm not saying that it's where it needs to be now, but I'd say it's very likely that in a hundred years we're using more solar energy than fossil fuels.
The indoctrinated speak. Why do you dims believe the govt can make something better? Its all about making them and their cronies richer. Pubs had the oil folks yall have the green folks. Problem is, dims are trying to force us to solar and electric before we have the infrastructure and it will cause much pain if we continue down this path. Plus, the funny thing is, the dims claim it is for mother earth when what they are doing is much worse. But you guys go ahead and fall on your sword.
If we are it won't be because it is scalable, better for the environment, or cheaper.
I truly wish we could divide and have a conservative country and let yall have your own place to screw up.
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You saying the dems have it all figured out? I think not. They can't even run the Clunkers for cash program with out unintended consequences. You can not deem a new energy source by killing the current working system. You have to have a viable energy source before you kill the existing source.
Yes that solar panel field south of Warner Robins is ugly and killed many trees destroying streams as well.
It can not be good for the environment. I was approached about putting some on my farm and told them to pound sand!
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How does that reasonable assessment contradict what I posted - are there actually people that are going to die in caves? I mean, other than in Texas.
We freeze in our houses. Oh you will freeze, I have a wood stove, fire place and generator.
Some folks in Texas might argue when the Wind Turbines froze over and there were massive power outages. Folks were freezing and water pipes bursting. Not a reliable energy source as millions found out. But I guess that never happened.
But, but, but .... If the leaders would only double down on the ineffective green energy plans, we will have spent more to provide less. That makes sense, If you are a liberal.
