Big solar is leaving rooftop systems in the dust

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-solar-costs-idUSKCN0ZL0DA

[font face=Serif]Tue Jul 5, 2016 1:50am EDT

[font size=5]Big solar is leaving rooftop systems in the dust[/font]

By Nichola Groom

[font size=3]Solar power is on pace for the first time this year to contribute more new electricity to the grid than will any other form of energy – a feat driven more by economics than green mandates.

The cost of electricity from large-scale solar installations now is comparable to and sometimes cheaper than natural gas-fired power, even without incentives aimed at promoting environmentally friendly power, according to industry players and outside cost studies.

Buoyed by appeals to self reliance and environmental stewardship, as well as government subsidies, the early solar industry was dominated by rooftop panels that powered individual homes and businesses. But such small-scale installations are expensive, requiring hefty incentives to make them attractive to homeowners.

Today, large systems that sell directly to utilities dominate. They are expected to account for more than 70 percent of new solar added to the grid this year, according to industry research firm GTM Research.

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[NNadir]

1. Really? Solar will deliver more than any other form of power? It's on a pace?

How come the entire solar industry on the entire planet can't even match a fragment of a mote or a residual of the annual increase in gas use for power?

The world uses 570 exajoules of energy per year. "Big solar" produces how much of that?

The figures for utility scale solar in the United States is available from the EIA. Anyone ever look at it?

The main thing that the solar industry generates is complacency and wishful thinking. It's proved useless, for more than half a century at even slowing climate change.

[LouisvilleDem]

2. Here you go...

http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_1_01

Generation at Utility Scale Facilities (2015):

1,356,057 - Coal
1,335,068 - Natural Gas
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp797,178 - Nuclear
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp26,473 - Solar

Total 4,087,381 (includes others like Petroleum, Hydro, etc.)

[NNadir]

3. Wow! After 50 years of wild cheering, "it's on a pace!"

This "pace" is why all this crap about the solar miracle has been an enormous waste in any effort to address climate change.

[kristopher]

4. ROFLMAO

[LouisvilleDem]

5. What is the point of that graphic?

It shows pretty much the same thing as my numbers do, only in a pretty graphical format...

[Nihil]

7. Some people need pictures to illustrate the percentages?

Fossil fuels = 78.3%

Nuclear = 2.5%

Wind PLUS solar PLUS biomass(!) PLUS geothermal = 1.4%



We've got a LONG way to go ...

[kristopher]

6. That's the price point we're at right now...

The pool of those who benefit in some manner from the economics of solar is steadily expanding and will soon include virtually everyone globally. The next big market should be commercial rooftop and, if the policies get set properly, community solar (and wind).