Solar panels could destroy U.S. utilities, according to U.S. utilities

[Westbranch]

Here is a very good description of the "UTILITY" industry view of Solar power

http://grist.org/climate-energy/solar-panels-could-destroy-u-s-utilities-according-to-u-s-utilities/?utm_campaign=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter


the summary at the end spells it out well... not too rosey

[MyEnergy]

Thank you for sharing the link.

I wonder if the utilities ever considered that just maybe it's high time to rethink their business model? Their real fear seems to be losing control of the market. Money and control go together.

The renewable market has done well in reducing costs and improving quality in solar panels and inverters etc. I see batteries as the weak link. Lithium is the battery of the future on a small scale but could there be a large "neighborhood" battery be developed that would serve as a battery bank for the utility at night?

[djohnm]

In some areas. pumped storage is such an option. Pump water uphill into a reservoir during the day and run it downhill to spin turbines at night. Many factors would come into play, notably round-trip efficiencies, and there are environmental concerns, for sure, but these could be mitigated if it were designed as a closed loop (modular) system.

-Dave

[niel]

that's all utilities ever worried about was their own bottom line and if a vast majority of people conserved or went off grid they would just add more to the bills of the other people that are still with. they don't ever lose anything. what's more is that there aren't that many with renewable power for them to pitch a squawk about anything. if anything, re sources have helped them at times in averting to put extra generators online due to high demands or poor power transfers from bad distribution systems that they fail to maintain or upgrade properly. they lose more power through these transmission lines than all of the re power being put to the grid. that makes them their own worst enemy. they are too cheap to invest a few $ to do what's needed on the maintenance and upgrades and as a consequence they need more generators and higher voltages to overcome the losses on the outer areas. oh poor them. well i feel no sympathy for them. they do whatever they like, whenever they like, and usually get to charge whatever they like as most pucs are rubber stamps. get with the program or have the program overrule you as your days of monopolizing and dictating are at hand.

[Nashville]

In some areas. pumped storage is such an option. Pump water uphill into a reservoir during the day and run it downhill to spin turbines at night. Many factors would come into play, notably round-trip efficiencies, and there are environmental concerns, for sure, but these could be mitigated if it were designed as a closed loop (modular) system.

-Dave

Interesting approach......

[Nashville]

FYI- The Government is discussing selling the TVA. Read it in the Wall Street Journal. I'm sure this will lead to more affordable energy. NOT

[djohnm]

But here's some good news:

"Report: Solar Scores Big Gains in Electricity Generation: For the first time, solar accounted for all the new electricity generation capacity added to the U.S. grid in March."

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/04/12/report-solar-scores-big-gains-in-electricity-generation

-Dave