Solar Power Could Be World’s Main Energy Source By 2050

[Mustang]

As I recall, conservatives always claimed that solar power would never amount to any more than a small fraction of energy usage. Looks like they were wrong about that too.

In fact, this story seems all the more compelling today because last week I was invited to attend a presentation that explained how anyone and everyone can be involved in buying solar energy without the need for solar panels on your home. It was pretty interesting, actually. It's called Sun Share. I'm including a link to it only so people can see how it works.

SunShare Community Solar Gardens - MySunShare.com


Energy agency predicts sun could overtake oil, gas as main source of energy on the planet.


By mid-century, the sun could be the largest source of energy and help reign in global warming by preventing the release of billions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency.

The bullish report is the latest dose of good news for the solar industry that has seen phenomenal growth. Global demand is expected to double every two years through 2022 as prices fall and the technology continues to improve. The United States is one of the markets poised for strong growth.


Solar power could be world s main energy source by 2050 - Fortune

 

[Tom Sweetnam]

I doubt it. China and the rest of the developing world are putting their faith in nuclear power. Solar and wind depend too much on the whims of mother nature. I know that as well as anyone. I have a 2000 watt solar grid set up on my own property.

 

[Mustang]

I doubt it. China and the rest of the developing world are putting their faith in nuclear power. Solar and wind depend too much on the whims of mother nature. I know that as well as anyone. I have a 2000 watt solar grid set up on my own property.

You better check again. Both Germany and China have heavily invested in solar.

 

[ScienceRocks]

I think it will be a large percentage of the energy needs of the world. Add to that geo-thermal, wind and tidal.

NUCLEAR should be part of the mix...

 

[Zander]

Cool.

What percentage does solar provide now?

 

[elektra]

Germany and Spain are divesting, there will be no more solar growth in both countries.

Another stupid solar thread built on platitudes.

Seeing how this is in environment, let's address the harm solar causes.

First, how many millions of tons of hydrocarbons will this amount of solar require to build.

How many square miles of land will be destroyed?

What is the dollar amount this will cost.

 

[Tom Sweetnam]

I doubt it. China and the rest of the developing world are putting their faith in nuclear power. Solar and wind depend too much on the whims of mother nature. I know that as well as anyone. I have a 2000 watt solar grid set up on my own property.

You better check again. Both Germany and China have heavily invested in solar.

Yes I know that genius, but they're a hell of a lot more heavily invested in hydroelectric and nuclear. Western Europe buys 70% of all solar cells right now, but France still gets 99% of her electricity from nuclear power plants. You infer that solar is going to be our main supplier of electrical power by 2050, only 35 years from now. I say if you believe that, I have some oceanfront property outside Denver I'd like to sell you.

 

[elektra]

Spain just about went bankrupt on solar, California ignored it's water problem investing billions in failed solar.

So how much will this cost

How much oil will it take,

 

[Mustang]

Cool.

What percentage does solar provide now?

I don't know. But the Kyoto protocol provides carbon credits for developed countries who help the developing world leapfrog over fossil fuel-based technology in favor of other technologies like solar. So, oddly enough, there are villages in Africa with solar power even though they're technologically behind us in most other ways.

 

[Zander]

Cool.

What percentage does solar provide now?

I don't know. But the Kyoto protocol provides carbon credits for developed countries who help the developing world leapfrog over fossil fuel-based technology in favor of other technologies like solar. So, oddly enough, there are villages in Africa with solar power even though they're technologically behind us in most other ways.

Solar is a great choice for remote villages where hard wired electricity is not economically viable. It is easy to set up- install the panels, hook up a few wires and an inverter, add batteries and BOOM- you've got power.

According to THIS - We are number 5 in the world in solar generation - mostly from rooftop panels. Not bad.

I believe our number one goal as a nation should be complete energy independence.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

 

[Abishai100]

Sun Cap

Here's an under-appreciated aspect of the solar power discussion: a solar-powered community requires less maintenance and hence less maintenance visits by energy laborers. This simple cut-back in work time effectively casts a solar-powered residential area as a nice self-sustaining unit.

Solar power has also received good reviews in terms of energy output and upkeep. Solar-powered cars are lagging behind electric cars and biomass fueled cars, however.

It would be nifty if the handy-dandy (and cute) solar-powered calculator customer base expands into an environment-friendly solar-powered lifestyle regime.




Solar car - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

 

[Billy_Bob]

This is laughable... a Marxists wet dream...

PV will have to become greater than 90% effective.. its currently less than 20%... Add to that the battery reserves necessary....

 

[elektra]

Cool.

What percentage does solar provide now?

I don't know. But the Kyoto protocol provides carbon credits for developed countries who help the developing world leapfrog over fossil fuel-based technology in favor of other technologies like solar. So, oddly enough, there are villages in Africa with solar power even though they're technologically behind us in most other ways.

How many 1000's of square miles?

 

[flacaltenn]

Cool.

What percentage does solar provide now?

I don't know. But the Kyoto protocol provides carbon credits for developed countries who help the developing world leapfrog over fossil fuel-based technology in favor of other technologies like solar. So, oddly enough, there are villages in Africa with solar power even though they're technologically behind us in most other ways.

Europe is cutting the solar installation credits and subsidies. US Federal credits expire in 2015 or 16. There's a reason for that.. You need a REAL POWER PLANT for every MWatt that you produce. Doesn't take ANYTHING offline, unless you want frozen bodies to pile up in the winter... That -- and it only produces at near efficiency for 6 hours a day..

You can't fix stupid.. It's easy to assume it's someone's else's problem if it rains or snows --- until YOU or a relative are on the operating table when the sun goes away.

 

[flacaltenn]

The Fortune article pretty much supports everything I've said about solar not being an alternative -- but a mid-day PEAKING technology. Once you reach 10% of daytime peak grid demand, the further escalation of solar will meet some SEVERE resistance..

The price of solar photovoltaic, or PV, systems is expected to drop by 65 percent by 2050, van der Hoeven said. Another key to the growth of solar will be government offering up clear policies to support the sector. The solar sector in the United States, for example, has benefited from the solar investment tax credit, which provides a 30 percent tax credit for solar systems on residential and commercial properties. The industry is pushing for it to be extended beyond 2016.

“By contrast,” van der Hoeven said, “where there is a record of policy incoherence, confusing signals or stop-and-go policy cycles, investors end up paying more for their investment, consumers pays more for their energy, and some projects that are needed simply will not go ahead.”

With 137 gigawatts of installed capacity at the end of 2013, PV has dominated the market — adding more capacity since 2010 than the previous four decades — and will continue to do so through 2030, according to the IEA.

But once solar reaches from 5 percent to 15 percent of electricity generation, the picture changes.

At that point, PV begins to lose value in wholesale markets while solar thermal electricity, which uses the solar to produce steam power, “takes off at this stage thanks to (concentrating solar power) plants’ built-in thermal storage, which allows for generation of electricity when demand peaks in late afternoon and in the evening, thus complementing PV generation.”

PV loses value once that peak demand is smoothed out. And there is no way that solar thermal is gonna be as widely adopted as PV.. This is all cheerleading for more GOVT intervention and handouts and a lot of hand-waving and denial of reality..

 

[flacaltenn]

And on October 29th -- 100 people in northern Denmark froze to death when the wind stopped and technicians had problems restarting the main fossil plant in Copenhagen..

 

[Billy_Bob]

And on October 29th -- 100 people in northern Denmark froze to death when the wind stopped and technicians had problems restarting the main fossil plant in Copenhagen..

Cranial Anal Thrust Syndrome kills people.. (Aka: CATS)

 

[Old Rocks]

And on October 29th -- 100 people in northern Denmark froze to death when the wind stopped and technicians had problems restarting the main fossil plant in Copenhagen..

Link?

 

[Old Rocks]

And on October 29th -- 100 people in northern Denmark froze to death when the wind stopped and technicians had problems restarting the main fossil plant in Copenhagen..

Cranial Anal Thrust Syndrome kills people.. (Aka: CATS)

Unsupported claim. Without a credible link, simply another lie.