chrisski
Solar Boondocker
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2020
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- 5,432
My guess is government subsidies make the numbers work somehow.
Best Place to Live for Solar in U.S.
- Thread starter Kenny_
- Start date
Also you can't ship power across the country, you still need power production locally, they must be making enough power over their lifetime to make those solar farms worth while, and hopefully reduce our need for coal power, and the pollution many of these plants produce.
Nobodybusiness
Solar Sponge.
I lived right across the river from Marshall steam station years ago and didn’t even know if was a coal fired plant until someone told me.
Thought it was Nuclear like the one in Charlotte.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
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- 19,587
They absolutely can and do ship power across the country.
I done some (a small portion) of the wiring for a new nature gas power generation plant. It was built in Crestwood Kentucky. All of its power was sold to Texas customers.
I done some (a small portion) of the wiring for a new nature gas power generation plant. It was built in Crestwood Kentucky. All of its power was sold to Texas customers.
Nobodybusiness
Solar Sponge.
I’ve seen the same thing.
It was a few years ago but they had this thing if you want to buy power from a Hydro plant in Washington you could.
Cost more but you could.
If a solar field put X number of kilowatts in their system then they can transmit it anywhere on the grid for a price.
Still considered generated power.
That's exactly the case. Look on line for electric choice "apples to apples" energy choice, where you can buy a contract for a given amount of time to save on your cost per KWH.
ghostwriter66
"Here - Hold my Beer"
Absolutely no way that Phoenix or El Paso or Lubbock or Dallas gets more sunlight than SOUTH Texas .... ... seems they just decided that South Texas which is closer to the equator then all of those just doesn't count ... obviously this was written to make Phoenix look good
Isn't that mostly an accounting game? I can't imagine much of that power generated at that plant was actually delivered to those customers in Texas, and those customers power was actually generated much closer to them.
Nobodybusiness
Solar Sponge.
According to move.org it does but hey Journalism now a days.
Nobodybusiness
Solar Sponge.
I imagine your correct.
If the solar field produces X amount of power in their system then they can sell that block to someone else.
It’s still generated power.
Is it the same electrons going from Kentucky to Texas?
Probably not.
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timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 19,587
The actual electrons don't travel that far.
They just put enough into the grid on our end. To cover what the customers take out on the other end.
The balance of electrons, just cross the grid interconnection points.
Kinda like a big swimming pool. If you buy a gallon of water from me. You take that gallon from the pool. And I put a gallon in.
KITROBASKIN
Solar Enthusiast
If home heating and cooling are such big users, seems like it would be useful to include those factors in the equation; good amount of sunshine but not so much brutal heat and/or cold that a residence has to deal with in certain locations. Beyond the scope of the article/graphic but something to consider.
Solarcabin Channel
Solar Addict
A moderate climate would be great!
Problem is most of those places turned in to big cities and prices for housing are not affordable for most people.
It also depends on your local resources. Wood or propane may be cheap some places for heating.
The style of home also plays a big role. Super insulated may not need much heat or cooling at all.
Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
Out here they are doing large solar farms in the middle of the desert. No trees or anything to have to cut down, and nothing going on in those areas anyways. I remember seeing a YouTube video talking about how they are covering water canals with PV to prevent evaporation, and its free real estate. All our schools now have covered parking etc. There's definitely a LOT of places you can put up big amounts of PV and not affect nature.
Then why do colleges 100s of miles away commit 100s of acers of farm land to solar fields to ship power to their campuses before they have ever roof on campus filled with solar? (Oh yeah it looks bad on their pretty campuses)
I'm not sure what the problem is? Someone bought some farm land a put a solar farm on it?Then why do colleges 100s of miles away commit 100s of acers of farm land to solar fields to ship power to their campuses before they have ever roof on campus filled with solar? (Oh yeah it looks bad on their pretty campuses)
Solarcabin Channel
Solar Addict
Quite a few farmers are now using solar and still farming the land. Used for raising sheep or goats and other grazers between the panels and growing plants that thrive in the partial shade. Plus the farmer gets their power for free and makes a nice profit in off seasons when their plants or livestock are not profitable.
Sounds like a win - win!
Nobodybusiness
Solar Sponge.
I have even seen them grow stuff with panels shading the land.
Not sure how that works as I’m not a farmer but dual use land works for me..
Solarcabin Channel
Solar Addict
In China they grow Goji berries under the panels.
I had to look it up and I am thinking mushrooms would also work in that environment?
