L R AS Published on Monday 15 May 2023 - n° 445 - Categories:R&D , various USA
Americans seek to reduce the surface area occupied by PV power plants
Researchers have developed a scenario for reducing the impact of solar power plants in the United States by 70%,
where only 135,000 square miles would be needed. There are three possible approaches: co-locating wind and solar power, installing agrivoltaics on farmland, using other means of power generation, and so on.
Locating solar and wind systems on the same site is an effective way of saving land. Fixed-tilt solar installations take up less space and are a good option for saving land. Implementing the 70% impact reduction scenario will cost around 6.3% more than current processes.
Trade-offs will continue between providing clean energy for all and minimising disruption to communities, protecting natural areas and maintaining productive farmland.
2°) The adoption of a regional approach is the second stage of the framework. The report notes that the United States is regionally diverse in terms of geography and land use, electricity markets, economies, and so on. Energy policies also differ from state to state. Policymakers need to understand the differences in each region, to enable "responsible energy construction".
3°) Other recommendations include ways to reduce interconnection queues, community engagement, adopting incentives for land-saving approaches on farmland and prioritising transmission investment in inter-regional connections.
Decarbonising the economy is no mean feat and will cost around 1,870 billion dollars. That's because the clean energy transition is cost-effective and beneficial for everyone. The researchers encourage "informed, equitable and early planning" that considers the use of land-saving technologies and investments.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/05/11/solar-renewables-to-reduce-land-use/
PV Magaazine of 11 May 2023
