Solar Panels, for CIVIL discussion
So I saw an article on CNN (https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/02/us/solar-babcock-ranch-florida-hurricane-ian-climate/index.html), discussing a town in Florida that didn't lose power during Hurricane Ian. Why? They have a huge solar array. From the article:
Now, this town has 700,000 panels, and 2000 people (according to the article) and has "more power than the town needs" but how much more is not stated. That means that each person needs up to 350 panels (size not given). This says nothing of the supporting infrastructure, batteries, etc., and says that some of the towns' residents use electric cars and add their own solar panels to their homes.
From Google Maps, I took the following screenshot, which looks like their solar array is covering a couple square miles or more. So, that means we're looking at the neighborhood of a square mile of panels per 1000 people. Further, five miles to the east is ANOTHER huge array of solar panels. How much goes to Babcock Ranch specifically isn't discussed.
Edit, Here's a more accurate photo of the town proper and their own, dedicated, solar array. Take out the lakes and you'll see the point to follow:
For the comparison:
My town is 8,000 people in the town, proper, and covers 8 square miles, which actually makes math; 1000 people/sq mile. We're fairly compact, and there's not really any sprawl. Therefore, a square mile of panels per thousand people means we'd need EIGHT square miles of solar array to keep us in power. One square mile of solar array per square mile of town. Does that sound do-able?
This is factoring that Babcock Ranch Florida is NOT 100% EV, and I'll assume not 100% E-everything else.
And what isn't on those eight square miles of solar array? Trees, shrubs, and barely even grass. These folks don't seem to remember what happens when you strip all the vegetation off the earth...
This isn't Phoenix where nothing grows and the sun shines 24-7. This is in the tropics, home of clouds, rain, and vegetation, that same vegetation that eats carbon dioxide and ***** out nice, clean oxygen for zero power outlay. For reference, an acre of trees absorbs on average: 10 TONS of CO2 per year.
For the irony: Let's burn some fossil fuels for this hot air balloon, as taken from Babcock Ranch's website:
So I saw an article on CNN (https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/02/us/solar-babcock-ranch-florida-hurricane-ian-climate/index.html), discussing a town in Florida that didn't lose power during Hurricane Ian. Why? They have a huge solar array. From the article:
Now, this town has 700,000 panels, and 2000 people (according to the article) and has "more power than the town needs" but how much more is not stated. That means that each person needs up to 350 panels (size not given). This says nothing of the supporting infrastructure, batteries, etc., and says that some of the towns' residents use electric cars and add their own solar panels to their homes.
From Google Maps, I took the following screenshot, which looks like their solar array is covering a couple square miles or more. So, that means we're looking at the neighborhood of a square mile of panels per 1000 people. Further, five miles to the east is ANOTHER huge array of solar panels. How much goes to Babcock Ranch specifically isn't discussed.
Edit, Here's a more accurate photo of the town proper and their own, dedicated, solar array. Take out the lakes and you'll see the point to follow:
For the comparison:
My town is 8,000 people in the town, proper, and covers 8 square miles, which actually makes math; 1000 people/sq mile. We're fairly compact, and there's not really any sprawl. Therefore, a square mile of panels per thousand people means we'd need EIGHT square miles of solar array to keep us in power. One square mile of solar array per square mile of town. Does that sound do-able?
This is factoring that Babcock Ranch Florida is NOT 100% EV, and I'll assume not 100% E-everything else.
And what isn't on those eight square miles of solar array? Trees, shrubs, and barely even grass. These folks don't seem to remember what happens when you strip all the vegetation off the earth...
This isn't Phoenix where nothing grows and the sun shines 24-7. This is in the tropics, home of clouds, rain, and vegetation, that same vegetation that eats carbon dioxide and ***** out nice, clean oxygen for zero power outlay. For reference, an acre of trees absorbs on average: 10 TONS of CO2 per year.
For the irony: Let's burn some fossil fuels for this hot air balloon, as taken from Babcock Ranch's website: