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California generated 10% of it's energy via solar in 2015

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  • California generated 10% of it's energy via solar in 2015

    http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2016/01/11/...newable-energy

  • #2
    Looks good for the solar business. But what does CA do for power when the sun isn't shining?

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    • #3
      Originally posted by SunEagle View Post

      Looks good for the solar business. But what does CA do for power when the sun isn't shining?
      They only have electricity during the day.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by veritass View Post
        They only have electricity during the day.
        I know you are kidding but that statement would be true if there isn't another power source.

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        • #5
          I haven't read the article, but I'm guessing 90% came from a different power source.
          CS6P-260P/SE3000 - http://tiny.cc/ed5ozx

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          • #6
            Sounds like the guy who runs CalISO is optimistic about being able to handle more:
            http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...100-renewables

            IMHO curtailing solar a few days per year isn't a big deal. We should just keep on building lots more utility-scale solar... having so much solar one has to curtail it frequently would be a great problem to have, it'd help drive demand for storage.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by DanKegel View Post
              Sounds like the guy who runs CalISO is optimistic about being able to handle more:
              http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...100-renewables

              IMHO curtailing solar a few days per year isn't a big deal. We should just keep on building lots more utility-scale solar... having so much solar one has to curtail it frequently would be a great problem to have, it'd help drive demand for storage.
              Excellent article

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              • #8
                Well who cares, California hit a new high for importing power to 36%, up another 2% since last year. CA is going backwards fast and the energy policy is failing big time.
                MSEE, PE

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Sunking View Post
                  Well who cares, California hit a new high for importing power to 36%, up another 2% since last year. CA is going backwards fast and the energy policy is failing big time.
                  Good, that means they can avoid transmission costs by installing more solar.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Sunking View Post
                    Well who cares, California hit a new high for importing power to 36%, up another 2% since last year. CA is going backwards fast and the energy policy is failing big time.
                    http://energyalmanac.ca.gov/electric...tem_power.html says 2014 imports were down 2.6% from 2013 (due in part to transmission line service problems), doesn't have 2015 data yet.
                    So if it did go up 2%, that'd still be below 2013. Do you have a link to your source?

                    I'm not sure why you keep saying Calfornia's energy policy is failing... I suppose http://www.forbes.com/sites/judeclem...e-electricity/ would explain, but it mostly says "electricity is expensive in california". It's true, when you actually fight climate change instead of denying it exists, power might cost a little more, but at least we're working on solving the big problerm rather than ignoring it. And since we waste a lot less electricity than most states, we don't end up paying that much more for our power. You know the old saying: waste not, want not.

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                    • #11
                      My install was finished just before Christmas. Since that time we've had nothing but rain/clouds and it appears because of el nino that we will have that ugly weather through april 2016.

                      So far this year (Jan) I've made 208 KWh with a 11 KW system.

                      Typically is solar generation this poor in S. CA during the winter months? Hardly seems like it is worth the investment. What have others generated so far this month (Jan 1-11)?



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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by compchat View Post
                        My install was finished just before Christmas. Since that time we've had nothing but rain/clouds and it appears because of el nino that we will have that ugly weather through april 2016.

                        So far this year (Jan) I've made 208 KWh with a 11 KW system.

                        Typically is solar generation this poor in S. CA during the winter months? Hardly seems like it is worth the investment. What have others generated so far this month (Jan 1-11)?


                        Hard to say if your output is off. It depends on the weather of course, but also on orientation, shading and other factors. I'd check output on a sunny day.

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                        • #13
                          What is the Max California could generate with solar? 30%, 40%? without some sort of storage, I can't imagine more than 40% since sun only shines less than half of the day.
                          4X Suniva 250 watt, 8X t-105, OB Fx80, dc4812vrf

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Logan005 View Post
                            What is the Max California could generate with solar? 30%, 40%? without some sort of storage, I can't imagine more than 40% since sun only shines less than half of the day.
                            The grid always had a lot of redundancy in it before solar and wind.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Utility-scale solar has a capacity factor of about 25% near Los Angeles, which is a fancy way of saying solar provides energy for about a quarter of the average day. So 25%, I'd say. But with some load shifting, could be a bit higher, even without storage.

                              Well, that's if load is constant throughout the day. If there's more load while the sun shines, the number's higher.
                              Looking at http://www.caiso.com/outlook/SystemStatus.html, seems like the peak after sunset doesn't quite fill in the hollow after sundown, so maybe 30%.

                              But you really don't want to curtail nuclear power plants, and they generate about 9%, so maybe only 21%

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