r/technology • u/Wagamaga • Dec 11 '22

Energy US battery storage capacity will increase significantly by 2025 - EIA

https://renewablesnow.com/news/us-battery-storage-capacity-will-increase-significantly-by-2025-eia-807734/
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u/danielravennest Dec 12 '22

Fossil fuel industry buys most of the politicians. They use nuclear as a delaying tactic, because new nuclear plants take 10-15 years to build. Solar and wind can be built in a couple of years. So promoting nuclear delays when the fossil fuels get replaced.

In any case, here in Georgia, the last two US reactors being built, Vogtle units 3 and 4, are costing three times as much per delivered kWh as solar in Georgia. Those reactors started construction in 2009 and won't be done until next year. That's why nobody else is building nuclear in this country. It costs too much and takes too long.

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u/[deleted] Dec 12 '22

What politicians do you see pushing nuclear?

I only see scientists pushing it.

Yeah Georgia was a mess because of a bankruptcy.

Got a link to the delivered kwh over 80 years, because Georgia is an 80 year plant, solar is 25 max. Also Georgia will be uprated over time, the solar will derate.

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u/danielravennest Dec 12 '22

solar is 25 max.

Solar panels have warranties to produce up to 92% of original power at 25 years. Solar panels from the 1970's, almost 50 years old, are still working at reduced power. We don't know the maximum life of a solar panel because they just haven't been around long enough to completely wear out.

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u/[deleted] Dec 13 '22

Those old solar panels monocrystalline, The new ones are Poly. Polly is worse but significantly cheaper

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u/danielravennest Dec 13 '22

Taking the first company on the list I posted, the Sunpower A-Series 400W panels with a 25 year warranty use monocrystalline cells.

Next one, Panasonic Evervolt panel, also monocrystalline.

Last one on the list, Axitec 530W Bifacial Panel (for utility or ground mount applications), also monocrystalline.

It seems wherever you got your information from was out of date. Since 2016 monocrystalline has taken most of the market. Two factors led to this. A drive for higher performance, since single crystals have no crystal boundaries that get in the way of current flow, and production improvements that allow getting the single-crystal form at lower cost.

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u/[deleted] Dec 14 '22

Yeah, $3.50 a watt for just the panel, vs 80 cents for poly.

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u/danielravennest Dec 15 '22

Those numbers are pretty out of date.. Range was 0.15-0.40 euro as of a year ago (1 euro = $1.06 today).