3 ms·
This is electrical to kinetic energy, which is an entirely different story. The sun basically provides unlimited energy, so efficiency isn't as important.
by raxxorrax 5y ago
This is electrical to kinetic energy, which is an entirely different story.
The sun basically provides unlimited energy, so efficiency isn't as important.
- ncmncm 5y agoThis is a critical point. All of the hottest utility-scale storage technologies have really quite poor round-trip efficiency, but it doesn't matter. Lower efficiency requirements so radically reduce the system cost that you add more cheap generating capacity on top, and come out ahead. There is not now, and never will be, any shortage of available land area for solar panels. Almost every place you can think of to put them improves the place. On a reservoir, crop land, pasture land, canal, they reduce evaporation, and run cooler than in the desert. On crop and pasture land, they reduce heat stress and water demand in the plants, improving yield and irrigation efficiency. On roofs and parking lots, they slow sun damage. On parking lots they even keep the rain off.