Reality Check on Renewable Energy from Solar Power

Today's congressional proposals to mandate the use of renewables have won significant public support because renewables are widely viewed as environmentally benign and largely "free." As the following facts and observations illustrate, reality is more sobering.

NGSA has collected these statements from a wide variety of studies and reports to help Congress and the public more clearly understand the costs and the risks of using renewables. While these reports have not been endorsed or sponsored by NGSA, they illustrate a broad base of concern about mandated use of renewable fuels.

Cost

The Energy Information Administration estimates the cost of solar thermal generation at slightly over 10 cents per kilowatt hour.⁸ Other analysts set the cost higher, at between 13.4 and 26.3 cents per hour.² These estimates do not include the cost of back-up gas-fired units that compensate for the solar unit's "down time." Costs are higher if accelerated depreciation is not included.

The Energy Information Administration estimates the cost of solar photovoltaic generation at close to 15 cents per kilowatt hour.⁸ Other analysts set the cost higher, at between 16.1 and 35.4 cents per kilowatt hour for a hypothetical 50 megawatt flat-plate photovoltaic central generating station in the West.²

Using the Energy Information Administration figure of 3.3 cents per kilowatt hour for gas combined-cycle technology, the costs of solar thermal generation are three times those of gas generation. Solar photovoltaic costs almost five times as much as gas.⁸

Land Use

Land requirements for solar facilities using parabolic troughs are five acres per megawatt of installed capacity.^2&4 Thus, given an efficiency rating of 23 percent, it would take a land area greater than the size of the United States to fill all domestic electricity needs.⁷

Central receiver technologies require about 10 acres per megawatt--twice as much land as parabolic troughs.^2&4

In 1991, more than 90 percent of solar photovoltaic installations were used to provide electricity at remote sites where connection to the electricity grid is cost-prohibitive or impractical.²

Solar cells are estimated to require 5-10 acres per megawatt of installed capacity

Environment

Most suitable sites for solar thermal technology are in desert areas where installation of the equipment can erode fragile lands.²

Solar thermal technology is hazardous to nearby plants and animals when mirrors are mis-aimed, causing errant reflected light.²

The hundreds of stacked mirrors used in some solar technologies create visual blight and micro-climatic changes.⁴

The production of photovoltaic cells, like other "high-tech" processes, involves the use of hazardous chemicals like gallium arsenide and cadmium sulfide.²

The efficiency of the photovoltaic manufacturing process tends to be low, resulting in a large amount of solid waste.²

References

¹ Pimentel et al., "Renewable Energy: Economic and Environmental Issues," BioScience, Sept. 1994.

² Resource Data International, "Energy Choices in a Competitive Era: The Role of Renewable and Traditional Energy Resources in America's Electric Generation Mix," April 1995, released by the Center for Energy and Economic Development (an arm of the coal industry). Available at <http://www.conx.com/ceed/elecgenmix/default.html>.

³ Center for Energy and Economic Development, response to the National Renewables Energy Laboratory's comments on Resource Data International's "Energy Choices in a Competitive Era: The Role of Renewable and Traditional Energy Resources in America's Electric Generation Mix," November 1995. Available at <http://www.conx.com/ceed/elecgenmix/default.html>.

⁴ Robert L. Bradley, Jr., "Renewable Energy -- Why Renewable Energy Is Not Cheap and Not Green," released by the National Center for Policy Analysis, Summer 1997. Available at <http://www.public-policy.org/~ncpa/studies/renew/renew.html>.

⁵ National Petroleum Council, The Potential for Natural Gas in the United States, (report to the Secretary of Energy), December 1992.

⁶ National Center for Policy Analysis, materials related to the 1997-98 national high school debate on renewables policy, Summer 1997. Available at <http://www.public-policy.org/~ncpa>.

⁷ Statistical Abstract of the United States 1993, Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1993.

⁸ Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, Annual

Energy Outlook 1997. Available at http://www.eia.doe.gov/fueloverview.html#forecasts.

⁹ Charles Bragg, "Conservation Notes," Newsletter of the Santa Monica Bay Audubon Society, December 1995. Available at http://www.audubon.org/chapter/ca/santamonicabay/V19N4.HTM#conservation.

¹⁰ Keith Axelson, "Do the Blades Go Deasil...or Widdershins...or Does It Really Make Any Difference?" Newsletter of the Santa Monica Bay Audubon Society, May 1995. Available at <http://www.audubon.org/chapter/ca/santamonicabay/v18n8.htm#Do The Blades>.

¹¹ Herbert Inhaber, "Energy Conservation is a Waste," Wall Street Journal, July 28, 1997.

¹² Public Citizen, "State-By-State Survey Shows Renewable Energy Use Expanding Rapidly," April 18, 1995. Available at <http://www.citizen.org/CMEP/renewables/renproj.html>.

This page was last updated August 31, 1997.