On the Inability of Wind and Solar Electric Generation to Power Modern Civilization
Journal of Energy Research and Reviews,
Page 51-63
DOI:
10.9734/jenrr/2021/v8i430220
Abstract
There is a societal push to replace fossil and nuclear fuel, which currently generate ~ 85% of the world’s electric power, with wind and solar powered generation of electricity. However, there are significant physical, economic, reliability, and environmental barriers to this replacement. This paper discusses them and concludes that for the foreseeable future, we are stuck with the more conventional sources if we want civilization for the masses to survive.
Keywords:
- Solar
- civilization
- energy
- solar panels
How to Cite
Manheimer, W. (2021). On the Inability of Wind and Solar Electric Generation to Power Modern Civilization. Journal of Energy Research and Reviews, 8(4), 51-63. https://doi.org/10.9734/jenrr/2021/v8i430220
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Unsettled, what climate science tells us, what it doesn’t and why it matters, Steven Koonin, BenBella Books, Dallas TX, 2021
Apocalypse Never, Why environmental alarmism hurts us all, Michael Shellenberger, Harper Collins, 2020
Fake invisible catastrophes and threats of doom, Patrick Moore, Amazon, 2021 Available:www.petitionproject.org Available:www.CO2coalition.org
BP Energy Outlook 2019, p15, Available:https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/business-sites/en/global/corporate/pdfs/energy-economics/energy-outlook/bp-energy-outlook-2019.pdf
Martin Hoffert et al, Energy implications of future stabilization of atmospheric CO2 content Nature volume 395, pages881–884 (1998)
David Keene, The trouble with wind farms, Washington Times, Jan 1, 2020 Available:https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/1/the-trouble-with-wind-farms/
Mark Mills, The new energy economy, and exercise in magical thinking, Manhattan Institute Report, March 26,2019 Available:https://www.manhattan-institute.org/green-energy-revolution-near-impossible
William Shockley and Hans J. Queisser (March 1961). "Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of p-n Junction Solar Cells" (PDF). Journal of Applied Physics. 32 (3): 510–519. Also see Shockley-Queisser limit, wikipedia, Available:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shockley%E2%80%93Queisser_limit
David Kramer, The cost of solar energy production has plunged, but it needs to fall further, Physics Today, volume 74, number 6, June 2021, p 27 Betz limit, wikipedia Available:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betz%27s_law
Mark Mills, Mines, Materials, and “Green” Energy, a Reality Check, Manhattan Institute Report, July 2020. Available:https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/sites/default/files/mines-minerals-green-energy-reality-checkMM.pdf
California and Texas Greenouts, Wall street Journal, Editorial, June 17, 2021
Craig Richard, Wind operators suffer $4bn hit in Texas cold snap, Wind power monthly, 26, April, 2021 Available:https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1714008/wind-operators-suffer-4bn-hit-texas-cold-snap
H. Sterling Burnett, Pro/Con: Green energy was the main cause of Texas' deep freeze, Duluth News Tribune, March 1, 2021 Available:https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/opinion/columns/6906798-ProCon-Green-energy-was-the-main-cause-of-Texas-deep-freeze
Kent Knutson, Great Winter Storm of 2021 Will Live in Grid History, Power Magazine, Feb 19, 2021, Available:https://www.powermag.com/great-winter-storm-of-2021-will-live-in-grid-history/
Lori Foti, Germany’s ‘Green’ Energy Failure: Germany turns back to coal and natural gas as millions of its solar panels are blanketed in snow and ice, World News ERA, February 11, 2021 Available:https://worldnewsera.com/news/startups/germanys-green-energy-failure-germany-turns-back-to-coal-and-natural-gas-as-millions-of-its-solar-panels-are-blanketed-in-snow-and-ice-tech-news-startup/
John Timmer, Wind power prices now lower than the cost of natural gas, ARS Technia, August 17, 2019 Available:https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/08/wind-power-prices-now-lower-than-the-cost-of-natural-gas/
John Mathews, The spectacular success of the German ‘energiewende’ and what needs to be done next, The energy post. EU, October 10, 2017, Available:https://energypost.eu/the-spectacular-success-of-the-german-energiewende-and-what-needs-to-be-done-next/
Frank Dohman, Alexander Jung, Stefan Schultz and Gerald Traufetter, German Failure on the Road to a Renewable Future , Der Spiegel, May 13, 2019 Available:https://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-failure-on-the-road-to-a-renewable-future-a-1266586-amp.html
Subsidized Wind & Solar Set to Quadruple German Power Prices, Stop these things, March 17, 2017 Available:https://stopthesethings.com/2017/03/17/subsidised-wind-solar-set-to-quadruple-german-power-prices/
Cumultive Effects Under UNFCCC, On climate change policy, November 26, 2018, Available:https://onclimatechangepolicydotorg.wordpress.com/2018/11/26/cumulative-emissions-under-the-unfccc/
Editorial team, More and more Germans cannot pay for their electricity, Die Freie Welt, April 3, 2019 Available:https://www.freiewelt.net/nachricht/immer-mehr-deutsche-koennen-ihren-strom-nicht-zahlen-10077491/
Barbara Ruchner, Axel Clark, Angela Falconer et al, Global Landscape of Climate Finance, 2019 Climate Policy Initiative, November 7, 2019 Available:https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/global-landscape-of-climate-finance-2019/
Solar Panels Are Starting to Die, Leaving Behind Toxic Trash, Wired, August 22, 2020
Available:https://www.wired.com/story/solar-panels-are-starting-to-die-leaving-behind-toxic-trash/
Michael Shellenberger, If Solar Panels Are So Clean, Why Do They Produce So Much Toxic Waste?, Forbes, May 223, 2018 Available:https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2018/05/23/if-solar-panels-are-so-clean-why-do-they-produce-so-much-toxic-waste/?sh=35c43606121c
Chris Martin, Wind Turbine Blades Can’t Be Recycled, So They’re Piling Up in Landfills, Bloomberg Green, February 7, 2020 Available:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-02-05/wind-turbine-blades-can-t-be-recycled-so-they-re-piling-up-in-landfills
Available:https://www.riteon.org.au/14000-abandoned-wind-turbines-litter-the-united-states/
Available:https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2019/oct/25/chain-email/no-there-arent-14000-abandoned-wind-turbines-litte/
Molly Lautamo, Altamont Pass: What’s the story with those windmills, Santa Cruz Waves, November 19, 2014 Available:https://www.santacruzwaves.com/2014/11/altamont-pass-whats-the-story-with-those-windmills/
Rick Kelley, Retiring worn-out wind turbines could cost billions that nobody has, Valley Morning Star (Harlingen TX), February 21, 2017 Available:https://energycentral.com/news/retiring-worn-out-wind-turbines-could-cost-billions-nobody-has
Tom Leonard, Broken down and rusting, is this the future of Britain's 'wind rush'? Daily Mail (British newspaper), 18 March 2012
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