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Page added on August 16, 2012
US: 200,000 GW of solar could be installed
PV Magazine has a look at the latest NREL study of solar power potential in the US – US: 200,000 GW of solar could be installed (via Cryptogon). According to a new study released by NREL, the technical potential of photovoltaics and concentrating solar power (CSP) in the U.S. amounts to just under 200,000 GW, which could generate around 399,700 TWh of energy annually.
The U.S.-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has published a new report – U.S. renewable Energy Technical Potentials: A GIS-Based Analysis – in which it says, technically, 154,864 of photovoltaics and 38,000 GW of CSP could be installed. This would mean, photovoltaics could generate around 483,600 terawatt hours (TWh) of energy annually, and CSP, 116,100. Refer to the table for a breakdown of the different solar technologies.
Overall, it believes rural utility-scale photovoltaics has more potential than any other renewable energy technology, due to the “relatively high power density, the absence of minimum resource threshold, and the availability of large swaths for development.” Meanwhile, Texas is said to have the ability to account for around 14 percent of this 153 GW, or 280,600 TWh annual potential.
In terms of urban utility-scale photovoltaics, NREL says Texas and California have the highest estimated technical potential, due to both their strong solar resources and high populations. With significantly less estimated technical potential, it is thought that rooftop photovoltaics will be most successful in those states with higher population densities, like California.
6 Comments on "US: 200,000 GW of solar could be installed"
BillT on Fri, 17th Aug 2012 1:18 am
Woulda, coulda, shoulda…but won’t be.
Don’t these people understand that it will take trillion$ to make any significant switch in power systems or transportation and it is not going to happen. Oh, the amount of energy from ‘renewables’ will grow slowly, but never be even a fraction of what we use today. They too will fade out when the oil that makes them possible goes away. Adjust to living without all of that and you will be ahead of the herd.
kenz300 on Fri, 17th Aug 2012 2:33 am
Global investment is alternative energy tops investment in fossil fuels.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611092347.htm
BillT on Fri, 17th Aug 2012 4:07 am
kenz, what does that mean? That there are more fools who think fossil fuels just need more money to multiply? That by giving their money to failing oil companies, they will get rich? Ditto natural gas. A fool and his money are soon parted…lol.
Arthur on Fri, 17th Aug 2012 10:14 am
Bill, the link Kenz is pointing at says that in 2011 a quarter of a trillion **WAS** invested in renewables. And it is likely to grow fast during the coming years.
BillT on Fri, 17th Aug 2012 1:03 pm
Perhaps, Arthur, but it makes no difference. I plan to have a solar/wind energy system at our farm so we are off the grid, but I doubt the ‘renewables’ will ever be common in the Western countries. Too expensive and they will not run all the techno junk plus A/C etc in the average American home (2,000 KWh/mo.). At $5 per watt average lifetime cost, and maybe 5 hours per day average sunlight/wind, that home would need a $60,000. to $70,000. system. Probably more than their home is worth in today’s market. No, renewables will have their place, but never be common or provide a significant percent of net energy use.
Arthur on Fri, 17th Aug 2012 3:09 pm
Indeed, there will be no plug-and-play renewable replacement for the 149 virtual energy slaves currently employed by the average American consumer. But 14.9 slaves could make a hell of a difference between the stone age/middle ages and what we will experience in the post-carbon future. That should be possible with renewables.