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World now has five times more photovoltaics than nuclear power (www.pv-magazine.com)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by ArtikBanana@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/technology@lemmy.world
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“But even in the only country that is massively building, China, nuclear development is comparatively marginal. In 2023, China started up one new nuclear reactor, that is plus 1 GW, and more than 200 GW of solar alone. Solar generated 40% more power than nuclear and all non-hydro renewables—mainly wind, solar, and biomass—generated four times as much as nuclear.”
The report also highlights how nuclear power is being challenged not only by the strong growth of solar and wind, but also by battery storage, whose costs are projected to decline below those of coal-fired and nuclear power plants by around 2025 in China. “Solar plus storage is already significantly lower than nuclear power in most markets today, as well as highly competitive with other low-emissions sources of electricity that are commercially available today,” it also notes.
The authors also cite data from investment bank Lazard revealing that solar-plus-storage can already be cheaper than gas peaking and new nuclear. “The competitive cost and large-scale availability of variable renewable energy sources combined with firming options—especially storage—could well turn out to be the game-changer of energy policy in the years to come,” they further explain.

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[-] dgmib@lemmy.world 7 points 9 hours ago

Such an incredibly misleading article.

1 GW of nuclear capacity generates several times more electricity than 1 GW of PV capacity.

Nuclear power plants run at almost full capacity pretty much 24/7/365. With the occasional shutdown every few years for maintenance and to replace the fuel rods.

PVs only generate electricity during the day, and only hit their maximum capacity under ideal conditions. The average output of PVs is 15-25% of their capacity.

Globally we generate more electricity from nuclear than we do from all PVs together.

At the typical sizes we’re building them you need dozens of PV farms to match the energy output of a single nuclear reactor.

[-] frezik@midwest.social 5 points 8 hours ago

Five times more PVs at a 20% capacity factor means it evens out.

The vast majority of those PV installations were in the last 7 years or so. We also built more manufacturing capability during that time. Meaning PV installations are being rolled out on an exponential curve, not a linear one.

[-] eleitl@lemm.ee 3 points 8 hours ago

My capacity factor is something like 11%. Need to recompute it, using latest data.

[-] JustZ@lemmy.world 2 points 12 hours ago

One calculator at a time...

[-] Greg@lemmy.ca 41 points 1 day ago

Jokes on you, solar energy is nuclear fusion

[-] Halcyon@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 16 hours ago

Solar panels are fusion harvesters.

[-] booly@sh.itjust.works 22 points 22 hours ago

So is biomass. And wind. And fossil fuels. And hydro.

In fact, I think only geothermal and fission aren't fusion-based.

[-] Wrufieotnak@feddit.org 3 points 14 hours ago

All atoms higher than hydrogen come from stars. So in the end, everything is derived from fusion. Therefore, geothermal and fission can only exist because of nuclear fusion.

[-] MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 2 points 13 hours ago

Fossil fuel is by extension of extension. Fission by extension of extension of extension.

[-] JustZ@lemmy.world 1 points 12 hours ago

Everything is stardust so it's everything fusion based?

[-] eleitl@lemm.ee 2 points 8 hours ago

Heavier nucleosynthesis requires neutron star collisions, so not fusion-driven. Supernovas are also when fusion stops.

[-] booly@sh.itjust.works 2 points 11 hours ago

The kinetic energy in that stardust, and the gravitational potential energy of stardust pulling itself into tighter balls, doesn't necessarily come from fusion. There's all sorts of cosmological forces and energy out there, and I don't think they all trace back to nucleii smushing together.

[-] JustZ@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago

That's true I suppose.

[-] Greg@lemmy.ca 13 points 22 hours ago

Tidal is also non fusion based

[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 3 points 11 hours ago

Not with that attitude

[-] MouseKeyboard@ttrpg.network 2 points 15 hours ago

Fission is based on the fusion that took place in ancient supernovae.

[-] eleitl@lemm.ee 1 points 8 hours ago

Neutron star collision. Supernova nucleosynthesis is also when fusion turns off.

[-] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 39 points 1 day ago

Holy hell, Photovoltaics

Not ONCE does this article use the actual word and sticks to abbreviation for Photovoltaics.

[-] ShittyBeatlesFCPres@lemmy.world 27 points 23 hours ago

I imagine they assumed readers of PV Magazine would be photovoltaics enthusiasts.

[-] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 14 points 22 hours ago

I guess but it's still basic writing etiquette and clears up any potential misconception. It's not like they pay by the letter anymore

[-] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 2 points 15 hours ago

Clearly not a subscriber.

[-] Kecessa@sh.itjust.works 1 points 22 hours ago

Must be crazy to assume such a thing!

[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 24 points 1 day ago

That crap drives me bonkers.

Especially because I had no idea what PV was.

[-] Zachariah@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago

penis vagina

[-] MeDuViNoX@sh.itjust.works 4 points 19 hours ago

Pole Vaulting

[-] Badeendje@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

All it would have taken is: photovoltaics or PV for short.....rest of article.

[-] 0x0@programming.dev 8 points 15 hours ago

The common approach is when using photovoltaics (PV) bla bla... PVs this PVs that...

[-] RiQuY@lemm.ee 12 points 1 day ago

PV?

[-] ArtikBanana@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 1 day ago

Photovoltaics

[-] StrawberryPigtails@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 1 day ago

Thank you. I was trying to figure this out as well.

[-] altima_neo@lemmy.zip 10 points 1 day ago

Promotion Video? Like Japanese idols have?

[-] Grass@sh.itjust.works 3 points 21 hours ago

I've been cursed. the words promotion, video, and japanese in close proximity always remind me of that really weird japanesy trump promo video and I wish I could delete that from my head.

[-] rem26_art@fedia.io 2 points 1 day ago

Idols truly have the ability to power the world!

[-] 0x0@programming.dev -5 points 15 hours ago

Meh... this only makes sense in giant installations on the far side of the moon, then laser down the power.

Covering the world in solar panels... not so much.

[-] ArtikBanana@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 14 hours ago

A bit more than half of the land used to grow corn for ethanol in the USA, is needed for a photovoltaic system to power the entire country according to Prof. Mark Z Jacobson (who calculated it according to 2050 energy needs after full electrification).

[-] Wrufieotnak@feddit.org 3 points 14 hours ago

Yep, definitely not usable for a decentralized power grid. All those wasted PV cells on all those homes which now generate most of their used electricity themselves. Too bad that doesn't work.

this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2024
220 points (96.6% liked)

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