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Your range is wildly off for PV systems, concentrating solar thermal can be that low but it’s been abandoned for good reason. Utility scale PV solar in the US
by Retric 3y ago
Your range is wildly off for PV systems, concentrating solar thermal can be that low but it’s been abandoned for good reason. Utility scale PV solar in the US averages 0.246 with several solar farms in the US having over 0.32 capacity factors.
Ex: 0.328 from 2017 - 2019 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Star https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Star
While a nearby PV farm is only 0.275 (average 2015-2018) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Sunlight_Solar_Farm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Sunlight_Solar_Farm and another in the middle: 29.7%(average 2015–2017, MS1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Signal_Solar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Signal_Solar Curtailment depends on the specific power purchase agreements so there’s some variability independent of the underlying technology.
The discrepancy around PV solar is largely the degree of tracking and location. Fixed panels have the same maximum, but even 1 axis tracking significantly extends how long a panel is producing the maximum power. 2 axis tracking allows even better capacity factor assuming nothing breaks, but at higher cost per kWh.
PS: Of note low capacity factor Solar installs are generally far smaller. It’s viable to install a little solar in Maine, but not at the same scale. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/me/maine/news/2022/11/17/construction-begins-on-maine-s-largest-solar-farm https://spectrumlocalnews.com/me/maine/news/2022/11/17/const...