A 2238 MW coal plant cannot be replaced by a 710-megawatt solar farm, particularly when the solar farm will likely run at only 25% capacity. Most likely, the solar farms will replace only about 5-8% of the electricity year-round.
Because the gulf coast area (say, 100 miles inland) has experienced numerous hurricanes and significant tropical storms over the past two generations, many of the electric utility grids (transmission, distribution, substations) have been rebuilt, some on more than one occasion. So, the grid infrastructure cannot be accurately characterized as “aging.” But that does not mean the gulf area grids are not at risk, so long as transmission and distribution lines are above ground.
I love the idea about transitioning old coal mines to solar sites for ease in hooking up to the grid.
Thanks for sharing that, Katharine.
A 2238 MW coal plant cannot be replaced by a 710-megawatt solar farm, particularly when the solar farm will likely run at only 25% capacity. Most likely, the solar farms will replace only about 5-8% of the electricity year-round.
Too bad there was no good news to report on increasing political support for taxing net CO2 emissions.
Katharine,
Because the gulf coast area (say, 100 miles inland) has experienced numerous hurricanes and significant tropical storms over the past two generations, many of the electric utility grids (transmission, distribution, substations) have been rebuilt, some on more than one occasion. So, the grid infrastructure cannot be accurately characterized as “aging.” But that does not mean the gulf area grids are not at risk, so long as transmission and distribution lines are above ground.