Renewable Energy Tables and Important Solar Power Facts

1. Recent analysis by the Department of Energy (DOE) shows that by year 2025, one-half of the new U.S. electricity generation could come from the sun.

2. The United States has generated only 4 GW (1 GW is 1000 MW) of solar power. By the year 2030, it is estimated to be 200 GW.

3. A typical nuclear power plant generates about 1 GW of electric power, which is equal to 5 GW of solar power (daily power generation is limited to an average of 5 to 6 hours per day).

4. Global sales of solar power systems have been growing at a rate of 45% in the past few years.

5. It is projected that by the year 2020, the United States will be producing about 7.2 GW of solar power.

6. Shipment of U.S. solar power systems has fallen by 10% annually but has increased by 45% throughout Europe.

7. Annual sales growth globally has been 35%.

8. Present cost of solar power modules on the average is $2.33/W. By 2030 it should be about $0.38/W.

9. World production of solar power is 1 GW/year.

10. Germany has a $0.50/W grid feed incentive that will be valid for the next 20 years. The incentive is to be decreased by 5% per year.

11. In the past few years, Germany installed 130 MW of solar power per year.

12. Japan has a 50% subsidy for solar power installations of 3- to 4-kW systems and has about 800 MW of grid-connected solar power systems. Solar power in Japan has been used since 1994.

13. California, in 1996, set aside $540 million for renewable energy, which has provided a $4.50/W to $3.00/W buyback as a rebate.

14. In the years 2015 through 2024, it is estimated that California could produce an estimated $40 billion of solar power sales.

15. In the United States, 20 states have a solar rebate program. Nevada and Arizona have set aside a state budget for solar programs.

16. Total U.S. production has been just about 18% of global production.

17. For each megawatt of solar power produced, we employ 32 people.

18. A solar power collector, sized 100 bv 00 mi, in the southwestern United States could produce sufficient electric power to satisfy the country’s yearly energy needs.

19. For every kilowatt of power produced by nuclear or fossil fuel plants, 1/2 gal of water is used for scrubbing, cleaning, and cooling. Solar power requires practically no water usage.

20. …

Introduction

A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is a long-term legal contract between an electricity provider and power purchaser. During the contractual period, which typically lasts 20–25 years, the purchaser agrees to buy electrical energy from the electricity provider. Under such a contract agreement the electrical energy supplier is considered to be an independent power provider (IPP). Energy sales under PPA type contracts are regulated by state or local governments. Under a PPA contract agreement, the electrical energy provider is most often the developer and owner of solar power or sustainable energy production technology. However, the seller in some instances could be an entity that buys the energy from several sources and resells it to various purchasers.

In the United States Power Purchase Agreement contracts are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, solar or sustainable PPA providers are considered exempt from wholesale energy producer regulations. Most prevalent PPA contracts fall into two categories, namely, solar (SPPA) or wind (WPPA).

Introduction

This chapter covers the significance of power output performance of all types of solar power system installations. Regardless of type of technology, whether solar photovoltaic power, concentrator type solar power systems, or solar thermal technologies, system upkeep and maintenance are of great importance. To take advantage of maximum return on investment, solar power systems, though quite robust and reliable from a physical and operation point of view, in order to harvest maximum amount of energy production, must at all times be kept at peak performance. This chapter discusses the significance of upkeep of solar power systems.

Effects of Dust on Solar Power System Energy Output Performance

As discussed in Chapter 1, solar power output performance is directly proportional to the amount of solar irradiance that impacts the photovoltaic modules. Therefore, any obstacle that blocks or refracts the solar rays will prevent photons from being absorbed and converted into electrical current. Most common of all such obstacles are airborne particulates such as dust and water particulate in the air that gradually settle on the surface of PV panels.