With the rise of atmospheric carbon and the depletion of finite reserves of natural resources, it is clear that our energy future will inevitably have a larger percentage of renewable energy generation in the total energy mix than exists today. However, of the two dominant sources of renewable energy currently deployed, wind and solar, solar has some distinct advantages over wind that convince me that the US and the world should be aggressively pursuing increases in installed solar generation capacity.
Solar is modular: A single solar panel is about the size of a standard coffee table, making panels easy to transport, install and use in projects ranging from just a few kW on a residential rooftop to hundreds of MW in the middle of the Nevada desert. Modern wind turbines have blade lengths of 50 meters or more, creating substantial transportation and installation difficulties.
Solar produces its maximum power output exactly when it is needed most: Solar panels produce the most power on hot, sunny days – exactly when the need for electricity is highest (primarily to run air conditioning). Solar can therefore be a cost-effective replacement for expensive gas or diesel peaker plants that remain idle for 90+% of their asset life. Wind, on the other hand, generally produces the most power at night, when the demand for electricity is lowest.
Solar is cheap, and getting cheaper: Prices for solar panels have been decreasing exponentially, dropping from an average of $3.50/W in 2008 to just over $1.00/W today. The US SunShot initiative aims to decrease that by at least another 50% by 2020, which would make large-scale solar installations cost-competitive with today’s cheapest and dirtiest coal plants. Prices for wind turbines, on the other hand, have been flat or increasing since 2000, according to the US Department of Energy.
There are few siting concerns with solar power: Wind turbines are big, loud, and kill birds. Solar panels are small, silent, and have no moving parts. It should come as no surprise, then, that countless wind projects have been held up or cancelled due to opposition by local citizens. (The Cape Wind project is just one high-profile example of this). Solar has faced little to no community backlash.
There is only one true renewable energy resource on Earth – the sun: Every source of fuel on earth – including fossil fuels – ultimately originated as electromagnetic radiation from the massive nuclear reactor 93 million miles away. Even wind energy is created by the sun via pressure differentials of hot air moving from one region to another. Total global electricity demand could be met by collecting just 0.000001% (yes, five zeroes) of the direct solar radiation the earth receives every year. Doesn’t it make sense to start harnessing that energy directly?
Source:http://www.harbus.org/2011/solar-vs-wind/
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