this post was submitted on 20 May 2025
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There is a benefit to putting solar close to the load. Less transmission losses/upkeep.
There is a benefit to putting solar on roofs/buildings... Less environmental impact.
https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=105&t=3
As per the globalsolaratlas map I linked above, you have on the order of 50% more solar potential in Spain than Germany. And that's before one considers alignment, shade from surrounding structures and vegetation, and similar factors that affect sticking panels on a house, which favor solar farms.
I love how you address only 1/3 of the items I brought up!
I have 0% loss on my house (except for the inverter losses, which the solar farms would incur as well). With 0 trees blocking anything.
Upkeeping massive transmission lines isn't free. Adapting solar to the current grid also isn't free and lossless. Transformers on the road to bring down voltage are a 1-2% loss on their own.
Massive fields of solar has upkeep/environmental costs as well.
If you choose to misconstrue me bringing up valid points as to why we should also be installing solar on buildings as an argument to never install solar farms... that's up to you. But there is value to putting production as close to load as possible.
You brought up losses and environmental impact. I addressed only losses.
Okay. "Environmental impact" is hard to quantify, but you could try and put a dollar figure on the cost of putting a solar panel in the desert. You should already be internalizing any costs, though, and that's not where companies are choosing to stick solar farms.
Sure. It's just that having solar panels on balconies relative to solar farms in a desert is outweighed by the drawbacks, if your goal is cost-efficient generation (which as I pointed out in my original post, isn't always the primary concern).
I brought up losses, upkeep, AND environmental impact.
All three of these items affect the cost of generation that you're ignoring.