Solar ... In the news

Martyn1981

Cardew wrote: »

Well I never! - I suppose large scale solar farms are still not as efficient as sub 4kWp systems on the roofs of domestic houses though;)

Oh dear! Still trolling I see.

And there was I thinking you'd finally matured.

Mart.

lstar337

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Smart Wind and Solar Power
Big data and artificial intelligence are producing ultra-accurate forecasts that will make it feasible to integrate much more renewable energy into the grid.

Some extracts:



Mart.

Interesting read, but how much power and money is used by all this Super computer number crunching, satellite communication, forecasting, man power and so on?

Hopefully it is not more than the wind turbines are generating!

Martyn1981

DECC ponders new community energy-only FiT rate

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) could develop a new feed-in tariff (FiT) rate under plans putout for consultation on Tuesday.

Mart.

Martyn1981

China targets 70 GW of solar by 2017

The country has announced plans to triple solar capacity within three years. Renewables ambitions also include a 150 GW target for wind power by 2017.

Mart.

zeupater

Martyn1981 wrote: »

China targets 70 GW of solar by 2017


Mart.

... amazing what you can achieve when you don't have politicians who are more focussed on their own career path than anything else .... just think, no bowing to never-ending nimbyism and the views of extremely small but highly vocal pressure groups of all flavours ....

Just think .... Britain used to be a focussed country ... 1830 saw the first specifically built steam railway opened, it was 35 miles long, the following 20 years saw ~5000 miles added & by 1860 that had doubled to ~10,000 miles - everything had to be designed & built from scratch and there wasn't a JCB in sight .....

.... in comparison, simply taking existing technology from overseas & drawing on every modern piece of construction equipment necessary, the 65 miles of HS1 took 35 years from initial concept to completion, that's longer than it took to build the majority of the entire rail network over 150 years ago .... having set up a company to design & build HS2 over five years ago, it's due to be another 20 years before a single 140mile section links London to Birmingham, and even that depends on there being no more political dilly-dallying.

As for renewables, forget the political claptrap about the UK being at the forefront of the technology & use ... why? - just on the Severn barrage over 80 years have elapsed so far and ..... you've guessed it - absolutely nothing. Simply compare this to the referenced report on China's plans (which I'm sure will be substantially met) and it's pretty plain to deduce that if you want to get anything done over here you might as well start to learn to speak Mandarin, forget the EU and join APEC ....

HTH
Z

nigelpm

zeupater wrote: »

.
Just think .... Britain used to be a focussed country ... 1830 saw the first specifically built steam railway opened, it was 35 miles long, the following 20 years saw ~5000 miles added & by 1860 that had doubled to ~10,000 miles - everything had to be designed & built from scratch and there wasn't a JCB in sight .....

.... in comparison, simply taking existing technology from overseas & drawing on every modern piece of construction equipment necessary, the 65 miles of HS1 took 35 years from initial concept to completion, that's longer than it took to build the majority of the entire rail network over 150 years ago
Z

Very good points. I think it's the red tape, EU rules and other assorted administrative lark that slows everything down.

Martyn1981

With only about a 20% difference in generation levels between Scotland and Cornwall, combined with the falling costs and growing support of PV, even Scotland is looking seriously at PV.

Solar could provide one-sixth of Scotland’s electricity

Solar PV could help meet one-sixth of Scotland’s electricity requirements, according to energy experts at University of Edinburgh.

In a report that assesses solar’s potential contribution to Scottish energy, scientists note that the ambitious milestone could be achieved by installing solar arrays across 250,000 Scottish roofs.

The project also estimates that embracing solar could help one in three Scottish households who currently struggle with energy costs. In addition, the report talks up the potential of the technology to meet renewable targets, create jobs and ensure the energy needs of more remote areas are met.

Mart.

penrhyn

Well if the report comes from the Ecoloons at Edinburgh Univerity it must be true. 16%, generated during the summer months when its not needed.
How you going to store it, for when its wanted?

ed110220

penrhyn wrote: »

Well if the report comes from the Ecoloons at Edinburgh Univerity it must be true. 16%, generated during the summer months when its not needed.
How you going to store it, for when its wanted?

We can argue round and round in circles, but at the end of the day if everyone from the Americans to the Chinese are installing solar PV en mass and see a big future for it who are we going to believe - the Americans, Chinese etc who are putting their money where their mouths are, or a forum poster with no obvious expertise?

Ed

penrhyn

Renewables whether wind, or solar are not going to provide base load power, thats why the Americans are fracking, the Chinese are building coal fired power stations and the French are 82 % Nuclear.