Germany Installed 1,150 MW of Photovoltaics in 2006 Says Magazine

[jpak]

http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=47718

Photon magazine is reporting that 1,150 MW of solar photovoltaics were installed in Germany in 2006. If confirmed this is another world record for the German solar industry and the first time that annual installations in any one country exceeded the gigawatt level.

If confirmed, Photon's statistics indicate that Germans added 1 terawatt-hour (TWh) of new generation from photovoltaics in one year based on average yields across the country.

The Germany solar industry association (Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft) reports that 750 MW was installed last year, itself a world record.

<not much more>

[Zenlitened]

1. But but but... solar is "decades away from being a significant source of power!"

This can mean one and only one thing:

The Germans have invented time travel!

:tinfoil:

[jpak]

2. LOL!!111

:hi:

[happydreams]

26. LOL!

:hi:

[phantom power]

3. I have some good news and bad news...

The good news is that's a pretty neat milestone. No sarcasm this time.

The bad news is that Germany uses 4100 terawatt-hours of energy each year. So this energy represents 1/4100 of Germany's energy budget. I think that I still classify solar energy as not significant, relevant to the scale of the problem. Particlarly since none of this energy is associated with commensurate storage capacity, and so it's questionable whether it will even offset the construction of any fossil energy plants.

[jpak]

5. That was this year's additions - cumulative German PV capacity is much higher

>2500 MW nameplate and 2.5 TWh production.

and the speculation that German PV will not offset fossil plant construction doesn't take into account new EU/German renewable energy targets and GHG emission limits - solar (and other renewables) *will* off-set new fossil power capacity...

certain

[NickB79]

7. So 2.5 TWh our of 4100 TWh is solar

1/1640 of Germany's energy needs are supplied by solar.

[jpak]

9. Renewables currently provide 10% of Germany's juice (50 TWh per year in 2006)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=115&topic_id=81519

and that is growing by leaps and bounds - in a few short years new German PV additions will be equivalent to building a new nuclear plant each year (or more).

Germany's new target is 35% renewable power by 2020.

PV is going to be an important part of their generating mix - regardless what the naysayers say...

:evilgrin:

[NickB79]

10. Ok, there have to be some errors somewhere with this data

Phantom Power stated that Germany uses 4100 TWh of energy a year. 50 TWh of renewables/4100 TWh total is not 10% of Germany's energy production. It is closer to 1.2% of total energy production. So, where is the error?

[Dead_Parrot]

12. It's the difference between grid electricity and total energy.

the 500 TWh wouldn't include any transport, or gas and coal used for heating (in homes/offices or for industrial processes).

[phantom power]

13. It might be 10% of electricity usage. 4100-TWh is all energy consumption.

I consider 4100TWh to be preferable, since the problem is to eliminate *all* fossil fuel energy usage, not just energy for electricity.

But using electrical energy as the denominator is often used, since renewables are generally targeted toward electricity generation.

[jpak]

15. Apples and Oranges Tsk Tsk PP

:evilgrin:

[phantom power]

17. You wound me. My numbers were labeled just fine!

I said Germany uses 4100TWh of energy each year, and that's what I meant.

And btw, I gave you a break: I used end-point usage, not primary energy usage, which really would have been more correct, since those 2.5TWh of solar are primary, not end-point.

:evilgrin:

[NickB79]

27. Ah,sorry for the confusion

A question though. The 4100 TWh of energy required annually by Germany includes fuel consumption by vehicles, correct? Doesn't that imply that the future of any hydrogen-based fuel system for cars and trucks is pretty bleak if they can currently only produce 1% of their energy demand with renewables, yet renewables are the method most hyped to produce hydrogen?

[phantom power]

28. That's my opinion. It is the core of the "pro-nuke" argument.

A terawatt-hour looks like a lot of energy, until you look at all the energy we are actually using.

[Dead_Parrot]

29. You've hit the nail squarely on the head

To fix home electricity - or even home electricity and personal transport - is not nearly enough, and to focus on these two sectors is very dangerous thinking.

To take an example, the Elkem metals plant in Alloy, WV - which is, I believe, the largest silicon producer in the US - uses coal from recently-disappeared mountains to produce PV-grade silicon. For a renewable-only future, the solar & hydrogen crown would have to proove there was a way to mine quartzite, move it to Alloy, remove a mountain, break up the coal (it's needed for chemical purposes as a carbon-rich feedstock), shift that to Alloy as well, smelt the quartzite, futher refine the silicon to 99.99% pure, manufacture panels and electrolysers, install it with a hydrogen distribution system (or lots of local storage tanks), - and somehow wind up with more energy than you put in.

The Elkem plant uses as much energy as the city of Charleston, BTW, even though that's only one stage. 1.5 TWh/year, to put it in context.

And what do we have? Well, there's the TV in Jpak's summer cabin, and Michael Strizki powers his house & car with hydrogen.

Cool.

I'll bet he can't dig up 50 tons of iron ore, smelt it, convert it to high grade steel and make his own propane tanks, though.

[Dead_Parrot]

11. So, PV is 0.5% ?

That's HUGH!

[jpak]

16. and when it's 3% people will bitch...

and when it's 10% people will still bitch..

etc...

There's no pleasing *some* people...

:evilgrin:

[Dead_Parrot]

18. When it reaches 5% of grid power...

It will no longer be insignificant - Just very, very small. Your own figures show that it's a tiny fraction of renewable power, but I have to admire your enthusiasm.

[Zenlitened]

23. It's gotta start somewhere, doesn't it?

The percentages are bound to start small before they get big, right? :shrug:

And the fact is, the numbers are growing. Granted, the most successful projects are commercial -- like the FedEx facility in California, for example. But the dream of shingling one's roof with affordable solar film doesn't seem so outlandish, IMO.

Or so terribly far off. It seems we're at a moment where the progress is exponential rather than linear, and I think it's very reasonable to expect solar deployments of all sorts to accelerate in the years ahead.

[Dead_Parrot]

24. Very true...

...although it's worth remembering PV has has been commercially available for about 60 years. I would have thought it was coming out of it's start-up period by now.

What annoys me, though is the claims that PV is now somehow significant as a source of power: As Nick said, it's one 1640^th (or one 200^th or grid power) - and that's in Germany, which is way ahead of the field in terms of PV generation. Even with exponential growth, it will take decades for PV to make any noticable dent in fossil power - decades we just don't have.

And the problems of cost and grid storage have still not been answered, even after the application of large quantities of rhetoric.

We'll see. It would be nice if PV suddenly took off and revolutionised our use of energy: But some people are happily betting the future of the planet on it, which seems like a really bad idea.

[Solo_in_MD]

20. Mine is close to 80% of my electric bill, and I still bitch

[Solo_in_MD]

4. Whats missing is actually energy production stats

Installing N panels each capable of M watts is an easy calculation and looks good for press releases. What is really needed it what the actual output is over a year. Just adding up the ratings of the panels is like the original EPA estimates for MPG...bad fiction. Installations, locations, weather and other factors all contribute to degrade performance. Solar installation never get the maximum available, just ask someone who has one. While they are a good thing, overating or overselling them is not a good thing.

[jpak]

6. No - solar hasn't been overrated - its been underrated - for decades

and underrated here on DU every single day by those who are convinced that "solar don't work" - all evidence to the contrary....

[Solo_in_MD]

8. The recent flurry is more hype than substance

and I have a large solar installation. I know it works but I also know its limitations, actual efficiencies, and that its not really ready for the average consumer quite yet.

My concern is not that the technology is not there, but that it is being oversold as cheap and maintenance free power when it is neither. Super efficient cells, flexible membranes and other recent announcements are PR to help hype companies for profit and investors. When you look at what is out there now and what will be out there soon, its not nearly as cheap or effective, and more important, as automatic. My fear is that it will get oversold and when it does not produce as advertised in the glossy brochures, loose support.

I am not against solar (obviously), just it being over hyped.

[jpak]

14. What part of a grid intertie PV system needs maintenance???

A quick hose-down of the modules twice a year is all that is needed (in arid climates), and the balance of the system needs no attention whatsoever.

And what part isn't "automatic"???? If the inverter light is green there is nothing to do except watch the meter run backwards.

How many "unhappy" PV system owners are there???

I've never heard of anyone claiming they were "oversold" or "hyped" on their PV systems...

[Solo_in_MD]

19. Do you have a substantive PV system?

If so you would know that for best results changing elevation angle every three months increases performance. Verifying overall system performance on a monthly basis is a good thing, weekly is better. Plan on checking individual panel output at least once a year.

I know a number of PV owners who were oversold by vendors on the amount of savings they would get. One went so far as to not account for the hours of darkness when calculating returns. Few realized the level of monitoring and minor testing they would have to do to get anywhere near the returns promised. The sales pitches and press releases are based on optimal and calculated efficiencies rarely if ever seen in the real world. I know PV owners who are very blunt that they were indeed oversold.

Another key area of conflict is the installation. Orientation is key, but unless you live in the boonies, having enough land facing the right way and free of shadows is rare. That means many go for roof mounting. Normally the roof vendor and manufacturer will no long stand behind their warranty after you mount solar cells on the roof, both for leaks as well as duration. Seen that happen more than a few times. Also your neighbor may put in trees. What is your recourse when his italian cypress shade your cells for 4+ hours a day? (Clue: none). Finally, that maintenance including cleaning now need to be done on a ladder. Thats fine if you are less than 50, but older than that, it gets harder.

Finally, to clear up a couple of things you said:
- Unless you have a large system, unaffordable in terms of cost and space for most families, the meter will never really run backwards, just more slowly.
- The green light on the inverter will be on even if only one panel of 48 is making power...and unless the owner is hands on, they won't have a clue until the next electric bill. Even when the light is off or red, how many will really notice it. Americans expect their houses to work perfectly without intervention and maintenance, since for the vast majority of people, they do.

Maybe its because I am an engineer by training that I tend to get nervous when I see hype overshadow the reality, and I see it now in alternative energy. I know that solar works and works well when properly maintained and installed. I also advocate for it, but I try to insure that people know the full story before they invest. I also do not sell anything in that area so I can be truthful with those who ask about it.

[jpak]

21. I have a DC cabin system for...well... a cabin

It's for DC lights only - on timers - at least until my nieces and nephews are old enough to learn not to leave the TV on until the battery craps out (unfortunately no low battery cutoff feature).

I take the modules down when we close it up for the winter (to thwart thieves and vermin).

Not much, but that's all the maintenance I do on it...

[Dead_Parrot]

22. What about your home?

Surely that's decked out with PV as well? After all, you keep telling us it's dirt cheap and how well it works in Maine...
:shrug:

[Dead_Parrot]

25. a kick for Jpak...

...in case he missed my question. :)