US Solar Panel Factories Under Construction (power, electric, electricity, Opera)

[OutdoorLover]

One of the criticisms commonly leveled at EVs is that the underlying source of electricity could be coal. This is true, but coal power is on the decline, and wind and solar are increasing.

While China has dominated solar panel production volumes, new US-based solar panel manufacturing sites are going up. These will provide some US jobs, and might provide lower panel prices as well. Examples are...

A joint venture between U.S. developer Invenergy and China's Longi will be building a factory with 5GW of panels annually, in Pataskala, Ohio.

Canadian Solar will be building a plant in Mesquite, TX that will add 5GW of annual production capacity.

Trina Solar will be building a solar panel plant in Wilmer, TX that will also produce 5GW of panels annually.

These 3 plants will triple US production of solar panels in the next year or two and more have been announced.
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2023/09/...manufacturing/

Enel will be building a 3GW annual panel output factory in Inola, Oklahoma.
https://apnews.com/article/enel-okla...647b9840828ab0

[Oh2Me]

This is all great news! Hopefully the US economy will grow through more green investments and job creation.

[RetireinPA]

I would prolly move this to one of the "home" 'threads' as no one is going to buy these to charge cars but we do use them for semi-gridding.

[Mike from back east]

I'm going to move this to Science and Technology since solar panels can work for a lot more than EVs.

I'm delighted with these new factories in the USA. I've always proposed that the 1M square foot chip fab in Colorado Springs that INTEL walked away from could probably be repurposed into a solar panel plant. You can see on Google Maps in the 1600 blocks of W. Garden of the Gods Road. The stupid city uses it as their DMV office.

[OutdoorLover]

In a related story, US solar power generating capacity is up to 7.1% of the total. Wind is currently 12.4% of total capacity. Solar + wind power together now are roughly at parity with coal power output, and the former continue to increase while coal power continues to decrease.

https://electrek.co/2023/09/29/us-so...released-data/

[509]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

In a related story, US solar power generating capacity is up to 7.1% of the total. Wind is currently 12.4% of total capacity. Solar + wind power together now are roughly at parity with coal power output, and the former continue to increase while coal power continues to decrease.

https://electrek.co/2023/09/29/us-so...released-data/

Don't confuse "generating capacity" with actual electricity generated.

The concept of "generating capacity" works with coal, natural gas, nuclear, and to a greater extent hydro.

It doesn't work with wind or solar, for the simple reason the sun does not always shine or the wind does not blow!!!

Here is the BPA site for electrical generation in the Pacific Northwest: https://transmission.bpa.gov/Busines...d/baltwg3.aspx

Notice that the WIND generating capacity is shown as 10.2 % of system capacity.

I called BPA and asked what percentage of ACTUAL ELECTRICITY was generated by Industrial Wind Areas. They did NOT have a number for the year, but did have a daily spreadsheet that they sent to me.

Industrial Wind Areas and the electricity they generate is under a MUST PURCHASE agreement by law at THREE times the general market rate.

ANY electricity they produce must be purchased by BPA.

When I added up the actual electricity generated by Industrial Wind Areas in BPA market area it came to 1.1% for the year.

That will vary by year and weather, but I am doubtful that they will EVER reach their "generating capacity" in the Pacific Northwest.

California has found that for every WATT of electricity generated by Industrial Wind and Solar areas they NEED to construct TWO WATTS of generating capacity by natural gas plants to insure that the lights stay on when cloudy or calm.

BUT solar seems to work well for California as long as they can purchase electricity (30%) from out of state electrical providers.

BTW, the NET INTERCHANGE numbers shown in the BPA graph is primarily the electricity shipped to California from the PNW.

It takes a bit of digging to get at actual electricity generated. Generating capacity is a bogus number when it comes to Wind and Solar.

Good luck finding the actual electricity generated by Wind and Solar. The numbers are out there, but very hard to find.

Hopefully, they are much better than the electricity they generate in the Pacific Northwest.

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by RetireinPA

I would prolly move this to one of the "home" 'threads' as no one is going to buy these to charge cars but we do use them for semi-gridding.

People in forums I go to use solar to charge their Honda Clarity.