Comments on: One Million Homes Can Be Powered by Mid-Atlantic Solar (Today)

By: Zachary Shahan

Zachary Shahan — Sun, 20 May 2012 12:28:00 +0000

some slight edits made.

By: Bill_Woods

Bill_Woods — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:22:00 +0000

“In D.C. and Virginia, oil burning is the main source of electricity, according to the EPA.”

Not really.
“The District of Columbia has two distillate fuel oil-fired power plants, Benning and Buzzard Point. Both plants are more than 35 years old, and for many years now have been used primarily as peaking plants, operating only a few hours per year during times of highest electricity demand.”
http://www.eia.gov/state/state-energy-profiles-analysis.cfm?sid=DC

“Coal-fired power plants typically account for nearly one-half of the State’s electricity generation. Two nuclear power plants account for about one-third of the State’s generation, and natural gas- and petroleum-fired power plants account for much of the rest.”
http://www.eia.gov/state/state-energy-profiles-analysis.cfm?sid=VA

By: Jake

Jake — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:14:00 +0000

This is what PJM, the source says, “One gigawatt of
electricity generated would power between 800,000 and one million homes.”
http://www.pjm.com/~/media/about-pjm/newsroom/2012-releases/20120515-pjm-region-shines-with-one-gw-solar-power.ashx

I am sure everyone knows sunlight is not available 24 hours a day. So when solar power is mentioned as powering a home, it is assumed there is not yet available widespread storage capacity for power at night.

By: Bob_Wallace

Bob_Wallace — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:31:00 +0000

If your source is the first link then the source says ” when the sun is shining”.

For ~4.5 hours per day there is enough electricity produced to power 800,000 to a million houses.

For the other ~19.5 hours there is no electricity produced.

That makes your title incorrect.

By: Jake

Jake — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:02:00 +0000

Bob, the source says up to one million homes.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:53:00 +0000

On the big plus side, assuming double in two years is correct, then that is 500MW added in two years. That is fast compared to building a coal plant and way faster than building a nuclear plant.

By: Anne

Anne — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:54:00 +0000

Let’s not inflate figures to unrealistic values and stay with our feet on the ground.

By: Bob_Wallace

Bob_Wallace — Thu, 17 May 2012 03:42:00 +0000

Jake, need to be careful with the ‘one million homes’ claim.

Here’s what your linked source says – “That’s enough – when the sun is shining – to power 800,000 to 1 million homes.” And that’s also not a great way to present things.

Let’s assume an average 4.5 solar hour day for the area. About a 19% capacity. Or enough electricity to fully power 150,000 to 188,000 homes.

It’s still an impressive number and failing to adjust for capacity allows scoffers to quickly dismiss the real accomplishment.