World's biggest solar electric plant opens in Germany

[jpak]

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/energywatch/news/article_1196942.php/Worlds_biggest_solar_electric_plant_opens_in_Germany

Arnstein, Germany - A solar electric power plant, billed by its operators as the world's biggest, went into service in the southern German state of Bavaria on Friday.

More than 1,400 movable solar modules will collect the sun's rays and harness them into energy for around 3,500 households, according to operators Solon AG.

The company has invested 70 million euros (90 million dollars) in the project, which took 15 months to complete and will have an output of 12 megawatts when fully operational.

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[sundancekid]

1. apparently some countries actually walk the walk on alternative energies

[MADem]

3. But.....but......but.......

Solar and wind power will NEVER work...we'll have to PAVE OVER the ENTIRE SOUTHWEST with solar panels EVERYWHERE!!! Wind power can't work either, because, uh, the wind doesn't BLOW all the time!!!

Honest to Christ, I have actually read that bullshit here on DU.

Solar and windpower are a BIG chunk of the solution. We just need to get off our asses and get to work.

[Dead_Parrot]

5. Questionable if that includes Germany, though...

Germany to exclude the coal industry from carbon emission accounting
Germany to build 8 new huge coal plants

Assuming those coal plants represent 6,000 MW, 12MW(peak) of solar is kind of insignificant... Although to save Jpak having a spasm, I should point out there are a number of much larger solar plants in the works. :)

[jpak]

6. You forgot that new 1000 MW coal-fired plant in (nuclear powered) France

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=115&topic_id=65467

:evilgrin:

[Dead_Parrot]

7. True...

"Walking the walk" is sadly pretty rare...

Still, all that French CO₂ will keep Sortir du Nuclear happy. :)

[jpak]

8. Sortir du Nuclear n'est pas "Vive le Coal"

:P

[Dead_Parrot]

11. Au contraire...

Si les centrales nucléaires devaient être fermées demain, la France ne se retrouverait pas plongée dans l’obscurité pour autant. La soixantaine de centrales au fioul ou au charbon qui existent en France peut pourvoir en grande partie à notre consommation, pour peu qu’elles fonctionnent toute l’année. à l’heure actuelle, elles ne sont mises en marche que quelques jours pas an, pour compenser les augmentations de consommation dues principalement au chauffage électrique. Pour les centrales au charbon, une modernisation selon la technique du Lit fluidisé circulant (telle qu’elle a été pratiqué en Allemagne) permettrait de limiter considérablement les pollutions comme le soufre. - sortir du nucleaire

C'est la vie mort.

[aquart]

2. There? Not here?

More shame heaped on our third-rate heads.

[jpak]

4. Last year, Germany installed 837 MW of new grid-tied PV.

Whereas the US installed only 80 MW of new grid-tied PV.

Truly pathetic

[skids]

9. Well, to be fair...

Here in the U.S. we install over half of our solar off-grid, whereas in Germany that is not the case.

But still they are kicking our asses.

[msongs]

10. the Sahara desert is currently available and waiting :-) nt