Scientific American’s ‘Solar Grand Plan’ for the U.S.
Posted by Maggie Surface on December 31st, 2007
Scientific American has laid out a ‘Solar Grand Plan‘ for the United States to take advantage of massive solar resources. In their January 2008 publication Scientific American details the switch from coal and nuclear to photovoltaic and solar concentrating with subsidies and an annual installation of 3 GW starting in 2011. The plan includes replacement of AC transmission lines with a high voltage DC ‘backbone’ system that would deliver power from the solar hotspot, the Southwestern U.S., to the rest of the country. While the plan is estimated to cost less annually than farm subsidies, one major point is mentioned in closing: public awareness of solar as a viable energy option is the limiting factor.
Says:
Hi,
Does this plan factor in that if the US shifts transportation from a petroleum base to electric (plug-in hybrids and all electric cars, etc.) the demand for night time electric power will increase, to recharge batteries? How would this provide electricity at night?
And if climate change and GHG is the “problem” why is replacing the 20% of electric power we get from nuclear plants a priority?
# January 3rd, 2008 11:20 pmSays:
Interesting plan. I look forward to reading the Sci Am article. Regarding nighttime power, I think it’s important to keep in mind that there is no no “silver bullet” that will solve all the power needs. This solar plan would need to be integrated with others, such as major wind infrastructure, possibly nuclear, and perhaps most importantly, a total rethink of how we use energy (and materials) to massively increase efficiency and reduce waste.
Incidentally, the Europeans suggested a similar plan for solar generation from the Sahara not long ago.
# January 4th, 2008 8:42 amSays:
Their plan does recommend a switch to plug-in hybrids, and widespread use of compressed-air storage across the country so that electricity made in the Southwest during the day could be transferred over HVDC lines and stored near metropolitan areas. Then the compressed air would provide electricity to existing infrastructure from there.
And while this plan would be a major step in providing energy without the GHG and national security issues of the U.S.’s current energy portfolio, it doesn’t address changes in consumption, which I agree is fundamental to solving the problems this plan attempts to.
# January 4th, 2008 10:21 amSays:
Hi,
I read the Scientific American article quickly yesterday. It proposes to replace the US electric power from coal, oil, and natural gas. That sounds ambitious enough without adding nuclear. The goal is limited to reducing CO2 emissions.
The problem of night time power is to be handled with a combination of compressed air and the heat capacity of a salt in the high temperature solar generators. This would become more difficult as gasoline cars were replaced by plug-in hybrids and all electric ones, since they would typically be driven during the day and recharged over night.
The plan wants to utilize cadmium-telluride (Cd-Te) PV collectors. They are more efficient than those currently in use. But a potential limitation would be the supply of cadmium. It is a relatively rare element, found mostly as a trace contaminant in zinc. The price remains low largely because there is little demand for it. Ni-Cd batteries are better for cars than the currently used lead-acid, but have not replaced them largely because of the limited supply of cadmium. This plan would require square miles of Cd-Te collectors and I wonder if would be enough Cd for this project?
Has the effect on climate of transferring this much energy from the desert south-west to the east coast and north-east been considered?
As for the European solar plan, I suspect that it would be hard to sell the idea of replacing dependence on imported oil with dependence on solar energy imported largely from the same places.
# January 5th, 2008 4:36 pmSince it’s solar energy why not install solar panels on every roof in america making the roofs of all buildings part of the power generation feeding the grids around the country.
# January 23rd, 2008 5:49 pmSays:
Hi,
The idea behind this plan is to put the solar panels where the sun shines. They would be much less effective in my part of the country (Wisconsin) than in the southwest. We get much less sun here (see the map in the article) and most houses are shaded by trees in the summer when the most electric power is used.
And the less effective the placement, the more panels (and thus more Cd) would be required. And I question whether there is enough Cd to do this job even using it in the most effective locations.
# January 25th, 2008 6:18 pm