Tag Archives: solar PV

Researchers have been underestimating the cost of wind and solar

Posted on July 22, 2017 by Gail Tverberg

How should electricity from wind turbines and solar panels be evaluated? Should it be evaluated as if these devices are stand-alone devices? Or do these devices provide electricity that is of such low quality, because of its intermittency and other … Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Implications | Tagged , , , , | 3,302 Comments

The “Wind and Solar Will Save Us” Delusion

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Gail Tverberg

The “Wind and Solar Will Save Us” story is based on a long list of misunderstandings and apples to oranges comparisons. Somehow, people seem to believe that our economy of 7.5 billion people can get along with a very short … Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Implications | Tagged , , , , , | 2,531 Comments

EROEI Calculations for Solar PV Are Misleading

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Gail Tverberg

The Energy Returned on Energy Invested (EROEI) concept is very frequently used in energy studies. In fact, many readers seem to think, “Of course, EROEI is what we should be looking at when comparing different types of energy. What else … Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Implications | Tagged , , , , | 1,372 Comments

Intermittent Renewables Can’t Favorably Transform Grid Electricity

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Gail Tverberg

Many people are hoping for wind and solar PV to transform grid electricity in a favorable way. Is this really possible? Is it really feasible for intermittent renewables to generate a large share of grid electricity? The answer increasingly looks … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy policy, Financial Implications | Tagged , , , , , , | 1,882 Comments

Eight Pitfalls in Evaluating Green Energy Solutions

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Gail Tverberg

Does the recent climate accord between US and China mean that many countries will now forge ahead with renewables and other green solutions? I think that there are more pitfalls than many realize. Pitfall 1. Green solutions tend to push … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternatives to Oil, Energy policy, Financial Implications | Tagged , , , , , , | 1,278 Comments