How much land will PV need to supply our electricity?

[oneoff]

OK. Estevan it is.


Now to further your claim that not one new acre need be acquired for siting this "10Mw" PV solar project.

Which parking lot do you have in mind? Which highway barrier walls are available? Which suburb has those tens of acres of roofs facing the optimum direction; sloped appropriately and constructed to support those solar panels? Who's going to shovel the snow; window wash the bird droppings, pay for the insurance; install the necessary wiring etc.

And it wouldn't hurt to have some additional options when highways says "lines of sight" are safety concerns, vandals throw beer bottles from vehicles for target practice.; building codes must be observed; insurance and liability gets brought up.....
and finally no repeating my idea that some Sask Power reclaimed pasturefield would be a good first choice.

[chuckChuck]

I think furrow is right put the Solar PV on existing roofs as this will help reduce the costs of building new transmission lines. But larger sites are also possible.

There are lots of unused areas of unused low value land that would be suitable. In our case I am thinking that I will put my ground mount system on the south side of a farm yard shelterbelt with no obstructions.

I like ground mount as the can be seasonally adjusted and they are easier to clean if needed.

[chuckChuck]

According to US Government NREL lab it does seem like finding spaces is such a big issue.

"In the United States, cities and residences cover about 140 million acres of land. We could supply every kilowatt-hour of our nation’s current electricity requirements simply by applying PV to 7% of this area—on roofs, on parking lots, along highway walls, on the sides of buildings, and in other dual-use scenarios. We wouldn’t have to appropriate a single acre of new land to make PV our primary energy source!"

[chuckChuck]

If finding space or suitable places for solar pv is difficult is it any more difficult that existing energy supplies?

How much land does the coal mining, oil industry, hydro electric generating stations, transmission lines use and how do they get access to the land?

I would argue that it easier to find space for solar PV as it can go on existing structures. Many farm buildings in Europe have solar PV installed.

[seabass]

Looney tunes is on Sat morning stick to that. Lol! No problems using solar just not by itself. We'd be living back in the forties here again. Full circle hey!

[chuckChuck]

As far as all the cleaning and maintenance required for solar PV, what electrical generation system doesn't require service, maintenance, and replacement?

Solar PV will have these costs as well. are they higher cost than coal fired? I doubt it.

The major advantage is solar energy from the sun is a free, clean, infinite fuel supply, unless god imposes a tax on it!

Why don't we try to get the numbers and see what they look like before we argue about it for numerous posts? Or would that take the fun out of it?

The LCOE and the other measure of costing you mentioned before of various electricity options should be a guide, but specific numbers will be difficult to get.

[chuckChuck]

Seabass who said that we are going to be using solar by itself? Nobody on agriville has said that, so stick to the facts.

[oneoff]

Soon someone is going to ask how exactly that neigbours PV panel project turned out. There are so very few of them; and they are so conspicuous that no one has to ask who we are talking about. (windmills and a quarter mile or geater PV solar panels for example).

That would be very useful information; but make no mistake; anybody who thinks it should be provided for free and to anyone interested in "picking other people's minds " should be told that nowhere in law or common decency is there any obligation to allow yourself to be used for purposes of ridicule, proving your stupidity or poor path you have mistakenly gone down.

On the other hand; many will tell all they know; and then some; except that whichmight cause obvious personal problems and would aid in others not repeating trying the same path and expecting different results.

That requires tact and proving something of some sort of worth in return would be reciprocated; otherwise both parties will get very little from the exercise.

What can/will be shared?

[oneoff]

UnworKable in real world of rural Sask?

In the United States, cities and residences cover about 140
million acres of land. We could supply every kilowatt-hour
of our nation’s current electricity requirements simply by
applying PV to
7% of this area—on roofs, on parking lots,
along highway
walls, on the sides of buildings, and in other
dual-use scenarios. We wouldn’t have to appropriate a single
acr
e of new land to make PV our primary energy source! Reply With Quote

[chuckChuck]

It seems that you have suggested the "unworkable" conclusion prematurely

There is a lot of interest in solar pv and wind projects in Sask. and Alberta. Sask Power is asking for proposals. When some of these projects are up and running, we will have some numbers to compare costs and performance.

I keep going back to this point. Why did Brad Wall and Sask Power say we were going to have 50% renewables by 2030? Why is Sask Power even considering wind and solar if it is too expensive and doesn't work?

Why are there so many windmills between Minot and Bismarck?

Common sense would suggest your very negative position about the cost effectiveness of renewables vs fossil energy production is off the mark.

The LCOE shows wind is very competitive. And solar pv is not far behind. And I agree at this point neither can provide baseload and we will need gas or coal for a awhile yet.

In the warmer sunnier parts of the world solar thermal is being installed that allows energy to be stored and used when the sun is not shining. Solar thermal plants are operating in the sw US and Spain. Lots of information about how they operate on the internet.

[sumdumguy]

"When these projects are up and running" - who's money do you think should be used for this experiment?Look at what's happening in Ontario. Furthermore, Sask Power has wasted enough money on this hocus poccus now, waste of taxpayer's money and penalties upon penalties for the taxpayer to suck up. What's wrong with smaller pilot projects? It is amazing how people can get bamboozled - politicians too.

[oneoff]

Always seem to agree a lot with notsodumguy.

[oneoff]

And just because somebody sees a need for a set of wheels doesn't mean it has to be reinvented again.

There's probably a neighbor within travelling distance, of anyone, who may have put up or taken down a brand new maybe 30 or 50Kw wind generator. Maybe that neighbor may have put in a substantial solar array panel in place of the windmill..

Seems like the experimental results should be worth it's weight in gold to a government (or any individual or group) contemplating or advocating similar projects on a much grander scale. Those are the early adopters and innovators who should be stroked the right way and if not supported in limited ways; then at least not be hindered with fears that detractors are out to shut they down.

There are other ideas floating around and being put into small scale experiments that use formerly vented casing gas; or flax straw burners; biomass converters etc under real temperate climate conditions on the prairies; that no one even seems to care about enough to ask "whats up". Some would say they "Sure are lucky".

But lots of advertising literature; and drawing board projects touted to revolutionize energy production is being hyped by those manufacturers and producers who aren't keen to divulge the inadequacies of their product. Just put down a $1500 deposit. The hype and selling continues...and now prematurely shutting down what we still depend upon.

[newguy]

We have a solar fencer, The horses were without an energizer with power since October 11.


Now, every morning the panel is covered with frost, and snow from flurries that fall overnight.


End result, I bought my wifey the adapter for plugging it into mains power.


If there was enough sun power in the northern hemisphere in winter to heat homes with solar then we wouldn't be in winter and have snow to start with.


Energy is energy....

All solar fencers are not made equal.Had no problem with my 2.Solar has come a long way and with more use can get better yet.

[jethro456]

There is a solar project proposed to go up next year near me. It will cover 900 acres of some of the most productive land in the area.

I'm not sure how covering up good farmland with concrete, metal, glass, and plastic is good for the environment, but what do I know.