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Environment & Energy
In reply to the discussion: "The battle of the energy titans comes down to one great contest: nuclear vs. coal." [View all]OKIsItJustMe
(21,875 posts)63. DoE figures from 2003
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/pdfs/32529.pdf
[font size="5"]Myths about Solar Electricity[/font]
[font size="4"]Myth #1[/font]
Solar electricity cannot contribute a significant fraction of the nations electricity needs.
Solar electric panels can meet electricity demand on any scale, from a single home to a large city. There is plenty of energy in the sunlight shining on all parts of our nation to generate the electricity we need. For example, with todays commercial systems, the solar energy resource in a 100-by-100-mile area of Nevada could supply the United States with all of its electricity. If these systems were distributed to the 50 states, the land required from each state would be an area of about 17 by 17 miles. This area is available now from parking lots, rooftops, and vacant land. In fact, 90% of Americas current electricity needs could be supplied with solar electric systems built on the estimated 5 million acres of abandoned industrial sites in our nations cities.
Produced for the U.S. Department of Energy by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a DOE national laboratory
DOE/GO-102003-1671
January 2003
(Technological advances have been made since 2003.)[font size="4"]Myth #1[/font]
Solar electricity cannot contribute a significant fraction of the nations electricity needs.
Solar electric panels can meet electricity demand on any scale, from a single home to a large city. There is plenty of energy in the sunlight shining on all parts of our nation to generate the electricity we need. For example, with todays commercial systems, the solar energy resource in a 100-by-100-mile area of Nevada could supply the United States with all of its electricity. If these systems were distributed to the 50 states, the land required from each state would be an area of about 17 by 17 miles. This area is available now from parking lots, rooftops, and vacant land. In fact, 90% of Americas current electricity needs could be supplied with solar electric systems built on the estimated 5 million acres of abandoned industrial sites in our nations cities.
Produced for the U.S. Department of Energy by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a DOE national laboratory
DOE/GO-102003-1671
January 2003
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"The battle of the energy titans comes down to one great contest: nuclear vs. coal." [View all]
wtmusic
Dec 2011
OP
Where is the scientific analysis that concludes "renewables are...not enough on their own"?
kristopher
Dec 2011
#4
I didn't provide a scientific analysis of the deficiencies inherent in billions of hamster wheels
wtmusic
Dec 2011
#19
Only shills for the nuclear industry say that energy choice is limited to either coal or nukes.
diane in sf
Dec 2011
#6
98.7% of the energy now used by is destroying the future of 100% of life on this planet.
GliderGuider
Dec 2011
#11
I believe the DoE figure (100 miles × 100 miles) relates to electical needs only
OKIsItJustMe
Dec 2011
#78
Here are articles with a non-mainstream view of various aspects of the global eco-clusterfuck.
GliderGuider
Dec 2011
#26
..reduce energy consumption, material consumption, our numbers and overall activity levels by 85%..
Ghost Dog
Dec 2011
#33
The thing is, oil will become unaffordable a decade or two before the aquifers are depleted.
joshcryer
Dec 2011
#84
Speaking strictly of TVs, your choice of tv can mean up to 70% energy savings (Chart)
txlibdem
Dec 2011
#28