Very in-depth exploration into all things energy production whether electrical, mechanical, heat or transport. Its clear how much work went into this and its well worth a read! I found it especially useful to review the policy attitudes towards these methods.
As Argo states:
"If coal and oil are the King and Queen of the electrical generation world, nuclear and natural gas are the prince and princess, ready to take over their spots at the peak."
The world is changing, and many of the methods included in this piece will play a huge part in this transition.
Nice guide. However, there is a glaring error in your estimate of the area required to generate 1 megawatt via solar PV. First, the energy coming from the Sun directly overhead on a clear day can be approximated by 1 kilowatt per square meter. The conversion efficiency of polycrystalline silicon is about 10%, meaning that 10 square meters are required to generate 1 kilowatt. Thus 10,000 square meters would be required if all of the area is covered. Let's use a more realistic 50% coverage to calculate 20,000 square meters of area is required. That works out to a square 141 meters on a side, instead of the 19 meters on a side shown in your text.
It really, really is. I was agonizing over how to treat the very non-standard, non-textbook choice of putting in "muscle power" - just so that people understand how much better life is that we don't have to do everything ourselves.
The absolute absurdity of calling muscle power "a small-scale peaker plant".
Very in-depth exploration into all things energy production whether electrical, mechanical, heat or transport. Its clear how much work went into this and its well worth a read! I found it especially useful to review the policy attitudes towards these methods.
As Argo states:
"If coal and oil are the King and Queen of the electrical generation world, nuclear and natural gas are the prince and princess, ready to take over their spots at the peak."
The world is changing, and many of the methods included in this piece will play a huge part in this transition.
Nice guide. However, there is a glaring error in your estimate of the area required to generate 1 megawatt via solar PV. First, the energy coming from the Sun directly overhead on a clear day can be approximated by 1 kilowatt per square meter. The conversion efficiency of polycrystalline silicon is about 10%, meaning that 10 square meters are required to generate 1 kilowatt. Thus 10,000 square meters would be required if all of the area is covered. Let's use a more realistic 50% coverage to calculate 20,000 square meters of area is required. That works out to a square 141 meters on a side, instead of the 19 meters on a side shown in your text.
Yep, you got me there. Even "Produces:" would have been better.
Edit: I went and replaced it with "Produces" for now.
It really, really is. I was agonizing over how to treat the very non-standard, non-textbook choice of putting in "muscle power" - just so that people understand how much better life is that we don't have to do everything ourselves.
The absolute absurdity of calling muscle power "a small-scale peaker plant".
Sustainable energy!