The sum total of all the solar panels manufactured by First Solar can now produce as much power as a nuclear power plant, one gigawatt.
The large panel manufacturer announced Friday that it has produced enough solar cells to create a gigawatt of power since it began commercial production in 2002 and hopes to double its current capacity soon.
"It took the Company more than six years to produce its first 500 megawatts (MW) and eight months to produce its second, creating today's 1GW total," reads the announcement. "By the end of this year, the Company...will have the capacity to produce more than 1GW per year -- the equivalent of an average-sized nuclear power plant."
How much does 1GW mean in real terms? A First Solar recruitment video (see below) brags of a plant in Nevada that produces 10MW, "enough to power 64,000 homes." By that logic, 1GW should be able to power several large cities.
But there are caveats when it comes to this form of electricity generation. Solar panels only work in daylight, and only at full capacity on clear days. That Nevada plant would be unlikely to hit 10MW of output very often if it were located in British Columbia. A 1GW nuclear power plant, by comparison, can keep producing power around the clock and in any weather.
Nor are these panels all in one place, or one time zone. They have been manufactured and installed in different locations all around the world, and cannot all be producing electricity simultaneously.
Image: First Solar
Comments
Sorry, but most nuclear plants produce more than 1 gigwatts these days - two being installed in Texas
will each produce 1.7 gigawatts. They can also produce that power at more times of the day than simply during high noon, in the summer, of a cloudless day. Misrepresenting the facts I have found to be very typical of alternative energy proponents. They need to - their power generators produce practically useless energy - solar PV and wind have virtually no ability to meet peak demand, last about 25% as long as nuclear plants, despoil the environment and have no ability to replace ANY existing fossil fuel plants,either now, or those that will be needed next year when there is increased demand, notable increased peak demand. Solar thermal has limited abilities, but is even more expensive and, on a weekly basis, is no more reliable than the others. So much for the brave new world of crappy , unreliable, uncontrollable alternative energies. Why don't you proponents ever tell it like it is? Well, we all know why - your alternative energies cannot stand up to scrutiny - another screwing of the consumer.
Hello Kent.
In regards to nuclear power plants; What do you do with the rods after they are spent? How many years does it take to get a nuclear reactor into production? How many reactors never meet their design intended capacity? How many reactors that are built end up being over budget? How many windmills, hydro-electric plants and solar panels can be purchased from the cost of just one nuclear plant? What are the ongoing maintenance costs to achieve that reliability that you seem to throw out there so matter-of-factly?
Paint the whole picture please.
Now:
Crappy and unreliable? Some data should be presented before making statements like that. Put together some actual numbers instead of B.S.
Darryl,
It is true that America needs to find a effective way to dispose of spent fuel, reprocessing would make too much sence. Out West solar panels and windmills might make sence but on the East coast it is not cost effective. That is something that people do not take into consideration when looking at green energy, is it cost effective. You need to take into consideration land costs for all those windmills and solar panels will take up, costs for natural disasters to the solar panels/windmills and the need for power regardless of what the weather is doing. All those are factors that YOU need to take into consideration before YOU start putting out some one sided response. Electrical Utilities are looking for the most cost effective way to produce power so no matter what you hear on comercials or from the government they are in the power business and they have knowledgable people that know more than what the t.v. commericals and lobbiests may try to market.
Geez, just because you work for the nuclear power lobby doesn't mean nuclear power is the only answer.
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