Solar Power &

Energy Independence
By Jamie Newton
Overview
Solar Energy Potential
Non-Electric Solar Power
Technologies
Implications for Energy Independence
Solar Generated Electricity
Technologies
Distribution Approaches
Implications for Energy Independence
Solar Energy Potential
As of February 2006, Photovoltaic technology
accounted for less than 1% of worldwide
electricity generation.
The amount of solar energy that reaches the
Earths surface every hour is greater than
humankinds total demand for energy in one
year
Non-Electric Solar Power
Solar Water Heating
Passive Solar Heating/Lighting
Solar Water Heating

Solar Water Heating
Advantages
Replacing or supplementing
other water heating
methods: natural gas,
electricity
Disadvantages
More expensive in cooler
climates
Passive Solar Heating/Cooling
Passive solar heating
can use overhangs to
shield the home from
the sun in the
summer, and warm
the home when the
sun is lower in the
winter sky
Solar Heating/Cooling
Non-Electric Solar Power &
Energy Independence
Lowered Energy Consumption
Broadening of Energy Portfolio
Reduced Need for Fossil Fuel Imports
Solar Generated Electricity
Concentrating Solar Power
Photovoltaic (PV) Cells
Concentrating Solar Power
Require Direct Sunlight
Concentrating solar
power systems cannot
reflect diffuse sunlight,
making them ineffective
in cloudy conditions
Two Approaches
Power Tower
Parabolic Trough
-Direct normal solar resource in the Southwest.
Image courtesy of Tackling Climate Change In
the US: Potential Carbon Emissions Reductions
from Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by
2030 (Charles F. Kutcher ed.). Darker colors
signify greater solar radiance.
CSP Potential
State Available Area Capacity (MW)
Arizona 19,200 2,467,700
California 6,900 877,200
Colorado 2,100 271,900
Nevada 5,600 715,400
New Mexico 15,200 1,940,000
Texas 1,200 148,700
Utah 3,600 456,100
Total 53,900 6,877,000
Existing US Generation Capacity (2003) = 1,000 GW
Total Potential CSP Generation in Southwest = 7,000 GW
- Direct normal solar resource in the Southwest, filtered
by resource, land use, and topology. Image courtesy of
Tackling Climate Change In the US: Potential Carbon
Emissions Reductions from Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy by 2030 (Charles F. Kutcher ed.)

Power Tower
Solar One (CA)
Steam Heat Transfer
10 MW
Solar Two (CA)
Molten Salt Heat Transfer
10 MW
Solar Tres (Spain)
Molten Salt Heat Transfer
15 MW
Solar Two
Parabolic Trough
Sunlight focused on heat transfer fluid
(HTF), which then runs steam turbine
Parabolic Trough Generating Plant
Image of parabolic trough power plant in Kramer Junction, CA, which supplies power for the greater
Los Angeles area. This plant, in conjunction 4 other parabolic trough plants in California, can
produce as much as 354MW of electricity.
Photovoltaic Cells
Photovoltaic Potential
The basic resource potential for solar PV
in the United States is virtually unlimited
compared to any foreseeable demand for
energy.
Paul Denholm, Robert Margolis, & Ken Zweibel, Potential Carbon
Emissions Reductions from Solar Photovoltaics by 2030, in Tackling
Climate Change In The US: Potential Carbon Emissions Reductions
From Energy Efficiency And Renewable Energy By 2030, p.99 (Charles
F. Kutcher, ed., 2007)
PV is flexible enough that it can be adapted for use in many areas.
Photoelectric Effect
Basic process by which a
photovoltaic cell converts
absorbed sunlight into
electricity
Photons knock
electrons free from the
silicon structure, freeing
them to enter electric
current and power a
load (like a light bulb)

Solar Generated Electricity
Distribution Approaches
Centralized (CSP)
Advantages and Disadvantages
Distributed (PV Roof Installations)
Advantages and Disadvantages
Distributed PV Generation & Energy
Independence
Centralized
Advantages
Traditional model of
distribution
No fuel costs
Disadvantages
Non-Constant Power
Vulnerability
This PV Array is part of the
Sacramento Municipal Utility
District, generating 3.2 MW,
enough for 2,200 homes.
Distributed Solar (PV)
Advantages
Net-metering
Grid Storage
Flexibility
Reduced vulnerability to
terrorist attack
Almost no maintenance
Negligible environmental
impact
Domestic Production (?)
Disadvantages
Cost
Extensive Individual
Investment
Low Conversion Efficiency
CCRs
Intermittency
Net-Metering
Peak generation from PV occurs during the day
Net-metering allows users to bank electricity they
generate, and credit it against the electricity they use
Most states wont pay users if they generate more electricity than
they use, but they can zero-out their accounts
As of 2007, net-metering is offered to some degree in 41
states and D.C.
California, New York, Texas
Net-metering is offered in Illinois by one or more individual
utilities
EPAct of 2005 requires all states to offer net-metering by
2008
Grid-Connected PV
PV Flexibility
Stand-Alone
Water pumps
Fans
Battery Backup
Isolated Areas
Generator Backup
Hybrid
Remote applications
Grid Connected
Grid storage
Utility Scale
Easy & Quick to build
PV Applications
Reduced Vulnerability
Roof-by-roof power generation makes it too
difficult for one strike to have a crippling effect
Vulnerability of centralized generation was
illustrated in the August 2003 US blackout
caused by a series of tripped generation facilities
and transmission lines
Within the first 2 hours:
3 Coal Fired Power Plants
9 Nuclear Power Plants
5 Major Transmission Lines
Estimated loss from the August 2003 blackout has
been placed at $5-6 billion.
Distributed Solar Power and
Energy Independence
The ultimate in Energy Independence
self-sufficiency
Consumers becoming producers
PV Disadvantages
Price
Efficiency
Community Associations CCRs
Intermittency

Price
Still not price-competitive with traditional sources of
electricity
If you don't include the environmental costs of coal-fired
electricity when comparing them with solar, it becomes very
difficult. [Saving money] is not what motivates me and if that's all
that motivates the consumer, then perhaps solar isn't for them.
Dr. Richard Corkish, University of New South Wales, School of
Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering
Paying for Itself
Ability of a PV system to pay for itself depends on the size of
the installation, electricity demands it is meeting.
Residential PV system may pay for itself within first half of its
estimated lifespan (30 years)
Price Reductions
Year $/W (Goal) Residential
Installation
Cost (2-4 kW)
2005 $8.50 $17,000-34,000
2010 $5.50 $11,000-$22,000
2015 $3.25 $6500-13,000
2030 $2.00 $4000-8,000
Goals for DOEs Solar America Initiative for cost reduction in PV Residential
(2-4kW) Systems:
2015 = 10-12 cents/kWh
2030 = 6-8 cents/kWh
$148M in 2007 Funding for Solar America Initiative to spark R&D
Efficiency
Conversion Efficiency the percentage of
solar energy shining on a device that is
converted into electrical energy
Typical Efficiencies
Single Crystalline Silicon = 14%
Thin Film = 7%
CCRs
As of 1999, 42 Million Americans lived in
community associations
Many of these communities seek to establish
aesthetic uniformity, protecting homeowner and
developer investment and lessening the risk of
undesirable activities in the community
The Declaration of Conditions, Covenants, and
Restrictions are one method used to ensure that
homes retain a common design theme w/in a
community
Typical CCR Provisions Restricting
Solar Systems
Prior Approval of
Architectural Committee
Explicit Restrictions on
Placement of Solar
Equipment
Height Restrictions
Restrictions on secondary
buildings or structures
Requirements that utilities
be screened
Restrictions on the
placement of
improvements
Specifications regarding
roofing materials
Restrictions pertaining to
architectural style
Architectural Restrictions
Arizona HOA is battling
resident over black solar
collector which doesnt
match his light-brown roof
Some state laws have
attempted to limit the ability
of CCRs to restrict solar
improvements

Intermittency
Obviously, solar power requires sunlight to
generate power
This means that:
No power is can be generated at night
Power generation may be reduced by cloud cover
However, PV will still work with overcast skies
Generation techniques requiring direct sunlight (CSP)
are ineffective w/o optimum conditions
Solutions:
Generators, Batteries, Hybrid Facilities
Hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen can be used as an energy carrier
Hydrogen can be created from water through a
process called electrolysis
DC current is used to split water into hydrogen and
oxygen
Energy from renewable sources, like solar
power, can be used to manufacture hydrogen
Commercial feasibility of solar generated
hydrogen is far off

Solar Power and Energy
Independence
Lessen Reliance on Fossil Fuel
Stabilize Energy Costs
Re-conceptualize Distribution of Energy
End-user production
Distributed system lessens large-scale
vulnerability
Production Method for Hydrogen Economy