Solar power compared to coal based electricity

Granted, installing solar panels requires an upfront investment, but the decision of whether or not to go solar often depends on how quickly you can recoup your funds through savings on your utility bill and reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.  People considering switching to solar power have many factors to think about.

Among those considerations include the cost disparity between solar power and other grid-based sources including coal.  In addition, think about whether you will install solar panels at your property (distributed generation), or purchase (or lease) solar electricity generated by your utility.  Although solar has not yet reached grid parity with conventional power sources, it is fast reaching that goal.

Recently, Scientific American examined data from the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) collected over 30 years, to project a timeline for when we will achieve grid parity.  They predict that this milestone will be reached within the decade, or sooner, if conventional electricity prices continue to rise.

Switching to solar power can help even out peaks in electricity demand, as well as guard against rising utility costs over the years.  Whether you purchase or lease solar panels, you can easily reap the benefits of solar power vs. coal.

Utility scale solar shows great promise for people looking for cheap power.  Yet, owning or controlling your own solar power system allows you more predictability and cost savings than you might achieve otherwise.  As consumers realize that public investment in solar power is a better investment than fossil fuel energy, many experts expect that millions will soon join the solar revolution.

Solar thermal parabolic mirrors

Solar thermal energy is generated when large parabolic mirrors (reflectors) concentrate sunlight on a tower where fluid therein is super-heated, creating steam, which turns turbines, creating electricity.  Large amounts of land are required for solar thermal, and the method of power generation means that systems are owned or leased by utilities, which sell the clean energy to customers.

Like PV power, solar thermal energy is clean and efficient.  Electricity produced creates no emissions and it is nearly 100% pollutant-free.  Once solar thermal power plants are installed, little to no maintenance is required.  Compared to grid-based electricity, this is cheaper over time because fewer employees are required.  However, solar thermal is still more expensive than solar PV power.

Compared to solar thermal, solar PV power is a superior choice because it can be sized for smaller, individual installations.  Like solar thermal power, it is renewable and non-polluting.  It is also cheaper, overall – for now!

Solar thermal power plants are becoming more frequent, which helps customers that might otherwise not be able to afford solar power to convert to a clean, renewable power source.

Floating solar power plants: a renewable energy innovation

Solar power technology developed through a partnership between Solaris Synergy from Israel and the EDF Group from France will allow solar power plants to be constructed over water.  Instead of building solar installations on natural lakes or over the ocean, industrial water basins in use for other purposes (industrial or agricultural) would be used instead.  This minimizes potential aesthetic and wildlife impacts, and also addresses the need for undeveloped land for utility power plants.

Floating solar power plants can also use the water on which the panels are built for a creative cooling system.  As a result, solar arrays will include less expensive photovoltaic (PV) silicon solar cells, which need to be cooled down to minimize overheating. The team also worked to cut the costs associated with solar power by using a solar concentrator system with mirrors to increase efficiency of solar cells.

Currently, a prototype is scheduled to begin operations in September 2011 at Cadarache, in the South East of France.  The water surface on which the floating solar power plant will be constructed is close to a hydro-electric facility and will be able to feed electricity generated into the French power grid.  The research team will assess performance and productivity of the solar plant through the seasons and at different water levels.

By June 2012, the research will be complete and floating solar power plants should be ready to enter the market.

Utility scale solar power plants such as those approved in Boulder City (23 miles east of Las Vegas) require ample land, government approvals and proximity to transmission lines.  The solar power array to be sited on 1,500 acres of land will generate low-cost, clean solar electricity with photovoltaic (PV) panels.

The newest solar power plant slated for Boulder City will join the 75 megawatt (MW) Concentrating Solar Power plant of Nevada Solar One, thin film solar installations of Copper Mountain III and El Dorado, and a planned 300 MW Posco Power/Sustainable Energy Partners PV solar installation planned to be completed by 2014.

Is it any wonder that the region is called “Solar City”?

A development agreement between Boulder City and Delaware-based Sempra Generation, secures the solar development for 50 years.  Its a win-win for both sides, with $200 million in payments flowing to the City from Sempra to help pay down existing municipal debt.

Solar power in Nevada

All across the “Land of Enchantment” the state of Nevada is shining bright with a solar power future.  To the south, near Boulder City, over a million solar panels cover desert lands, generating utility scale solar electricity. Using First Solar panels, the project will generate enough clean electricity to power about 26,000 homes, saving 123,000 metric tons of CO2 with the positive environmental impact of taking 24,000 cars off the road.

Up north in the Truckee Meadows, smaller solar panel arrays are also sprouting up.  While on a scale smaller than the First Solar farm in the southern part of the state, distributed generation photovoltaic (PV) panels generate electricity for the property on which they are situated.

For example, NV Energy uses solar energy to keep the lights on at their Reno headquarters.  Not only is the company using solar power, it is adopting incentives to help residential and small business customers make the switch to the renewable resource, as well.  A new solar hot water incentive allows between $3,000 and $7,500 to off-set initial costs of the system.

To learn about the new NV Energy solar rebate programs, click here.

Cimarron Solar Facility in New Mexico

The 30 megawatt Cimarron Solar Facility recently started commercial operations and is one of the largest utility scale solar power plant in the U.S.  While New Mexico is not usually thought of as warm, it does have plentiful sunshine!  The new solar PV plant generates electricity for about 9,000 homes.

The solar facility was developed by First Solar, which will operate and maintain the plant during the life of a contract.  A partnership between Southern Company and Turner Renewable Energy owns Cimarron Solar Facility (purchased from First Solar) and will supply power to Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (a not-for-profit wholesale power supplier to 44 electric cooperatives across Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming) pursuant to a power purchase agreement.  It was actually finished ahead of schedule and started producing solar electricity in December 2010.

The 364-acre plant site includes 500,000 2′x 4′ advanced thin film photovoltaic modules manufactured by First Solar.  The utility scale solar power plant is adjacent to Turner’s Vermejo Park Ranch, within the service territory of Tri-State member system Springer Electric Cooperative in Colfax County, N.M.

Ted Turner enthused:

“We are very excited to see this project completed and producing clean solar energy to power homes and businesses in New Mexico. Large-scale solar generation is among the fastest growing energy sources in the world, and we’re pleased that we can be a part of that growth.”

Speaking for solar power proponents, we are very excited to see the Cimarron Solar Facility operating in New Mexico!

Blue PV solar panels have some people seeing red

Anyone that has been following the news over the past few years in Southern California will see that the politics of solar power is not easily navigated.  When it comes to utility scale solar power plants, the idea of green, renewable power isn’t the end of the story.  For many environmentalists, developing what would otherwise appear to be bare, scrubby desert land with shiny, reflective PV panels or thermal solar power plants including parabolic mirrors and a ton of water for steam is just as bad as slapping up a WalMart mega-store.

Fragile habitat for various species that inhabit the Mojave Desert and other desert southwest areas where the sun shines brightly, just begging to be utilized for solar energy, has called in groups like the Sierra Club to litigate against proposals for solar energy development.  Sure, solar power can bring green jobs and reduce our carbon emissions.  But when the politics of solar power come into play, the result can be abandonment of U.S. development to countries like China, where environmental opposition is less likely to occur.

As the U.S. and the world struggle to address issues related to global climate change and finding new, reliable sources of energy, many are finding it ironic that environmentalists are the ones often opposing clean power like solar and wind.  I’ve been a land use attorney since 1994 and my view is that some of these groups and individuals simply oppose development of any kind or nature, no matter its overall purpose or goal.  Yet, the land use development systems in the United States (at the federal, state and local levels) allow for citizen input, detailed environmental review and a siting process intended to insure that proposed development is appropriate in scale and for its location.

All development will have some impact.  You simply cannot site any construction without change.  The question becomes one of balance, mitigation of impacts and a long-term vs. short-term consideration.  Let the debates continue.  The politics of solar power have an appropriate place and open discussion is the hallmark of any political process in this country.  But, hopefully, we can all agree that coal plants need to be replaced with utility scale solar (and wind, hydro and even nuclear).

Sunset Reservoir Solar Array in San Francisco

Across the United States, cities and states are establishing goals to encourage a switch to renewable energy.  But no one has gone as far as the City by the Bay.  San Fransisco has made it a goal to be 100% clean energy powered by 2020.  That’s just 9 years away!

San Francisco mayor made the announcement during the unveiling of the Sunset Reservoir solar array.  The new, utility scale solar power array is comprised of 24,000 solar panels and will triple the amount of solar power produced by San Francisco currently.   The Sunset Reservoir facility will sell solar electricity to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, saving the PUC more than $26 million over the next 25 years.  In addition to the clean energy, the installation will create many green jobs.

But the Sunset Reservoir alone will not be the factor to help San Francisco meet its goal to be 100% clean energy powered by 2020.

Mayor Newsome is putting together a task force to help the Bay Area become entirely unplugged from fossil fuels in the next 10 years and, hopefully, inspire other metropolitan areas to do the same.

On the island of Tenerife (the largest of the Canary Islands), a utility scale solar facility draws on the sunshine from this area known as “Eternal Spring,” off the western coast of Africa.  Even though its a territory of Spain, the 7-island Canary Islands archipelago is located about 100 km from Morocco and Western Sahara.

Sunshine is abundant in this area of the world, which makes installing solar panels a smart idea for clean energy generation.

As shown to the left, this image of the southeastern part of the island illustrates a diamond-shaped artificial structure at the foot of Mt. Pelada, about 5 kilometers east from the airport, which includes is solar panels to generate electricity.   At this site, there are several groups of solar panels and wind turbines which together produce renewable energy.

You might wonder why Tenerife for solar power generation?

Actually, Spain and Germany are the European leaders for solar energy in this area of the world.

The solar power generation plant in Tenerife was constructed in 2008 by a Japanese company.   Its a utility scale solar plant with the ability to generate 12.6 megawatts (MW) of electricity each year for the next 25 years.  Every 12 months this solar power plant will produce 7,200 tons less CO₂ than a thermal power plant.

Bottom line – go Spain, and go Tenerife when it comes to solar power!  What a great example of how sunny tourist destinations can host more than hotels….

Solar panels now fill a vacant lot in Chicago's South Side

Chicago’s South Side is home to the largest urban solar plant in the nation! The former industrial site has been improved with over 32,000 solar panels with tracking technology to help maximize efficiency by following the sun across the sky.  Operated by Exelon Corporation, the project has resulted in a number of green jobs, while spurring future solar development in Illinois.

The 40-acre site, previously vacant, now generates 10 megawatts (MW) of solar electricity – enough to completely power 1,500 homes and take the equivalent of 2,500 cars off the road annually.

Some commentators give credit to the recent reduction in overhead costs for solar power.  Since 2008, the price of solar panels has dropped dramatically by 40% or more.  At the same time, government incentives have ballooned.  States across the nation are adopting green jobs incentive legislation, as well as renewable energy targets.

I hear you – you might be wondering why the largest urban solar plant is located in Chicago, rather than a city in California or Arizona.  Truth be told, Illinois enjoys more intense sunlight than either Japan or Germany – the world’s largest solar markets.

The Exelon solar plant will sell both solar electricity and solar renewable energy credits.

Kevin Lynch, who trains electricians to install solar panels notes the positive impact the new uptick in solar development could have for the economy, including the specific Chicago South Side site:

These were actual construction jobs, with decent wages, health insurance and pensions.  And there’s going to be clean energy coming from that site for years and years to come.

Fortunately for contractors looking for jobs and consumers looking to lower their utility bills, there are more than 22,000 MW of utility scale solar developments underway this year!  Those projects could generate enough power for 4.4 million homes.  And perhaps be the tipping point for the rest of us that are considering solar power as a viable, green option.