"Total U.S. generator capacity is roughly 1,000 GW. So it would take 1,700 years to replace that with solar at the present rate of installation."
Maybe, but the present amount of capacity has doubled 4 times over the last 10 years. If it becomes significantly profitable to install solar over our current methods (due to increased solar collection efficiency and decrease cost of building from production techniques) of energy collection (Nuclear and those insurance payments, coal, etc), then there is no reason the doubling will not continue .. especially when you think about all the jobs it will create. Don't have to be a nuclear engineer to install solar panels.. On Thu, Dec 12, 2013 at 1:13 PM, Jed Rothwell <jedrothw...@gmail.com> wrote: > Bob Higgins <rj.bob.higg...@gmail.com> wrote: > > To get kWH/day from peak kW in PV, you multiply by the average full power >> equivalent hours per day. In FL, this is 4 hours (mostly due to clouds). >> In NM the number is 5. In the continental US as a whole, the number is >> probably about 3.5-4. >> > > 3.5 hours out of 24 is 14.5%. 4 hours is 16.6%. So the capacity factor is > about 15%. The 940 MW sold in the July - September quarter produces roughly > 141 MW when it is first installed. It degrades over time after that. > > 141 MW is roughly 1/7 of an average nuclear power reactor. In other words, > solar cell production is about equivalent to 1 nuke every two years. At > that rate it will take 200 years to equal our nuclear power capacity. > > Total U.S. generator capacity is roughly 1,000 GW. So it would take 1,700 > years to replace that with solar at the present rate of installation. > > - Jed > >
