Question

In: Physics

The US generates ∼ 4,000 million megawatthours (MWh) of electricity per year (source: DOE1 ). Note:...

The US generates ∼ 4,000 million megawatthours (MWh) of electricity per year (source: DOE1 ). Note: a MWh has units of power × time, or energy. Assume that the demand for this energy is constant over the course of the day and year.

Imagine building an array of solar panels in the desert in the Southwest. Allowing for night and day, sunlight will shine on the panels for 12 h per day. Electricity generated during the day will be stored for use during the night. (We will neglect any inefficiencies in this storage.)

Over the course of the year, the Sun will sometimes be high in the sky, and other times low. Additionally, the panels themselves will not be 100% efficient in converting light to electricity. As a result, imagine that 10% of the average solar flux reaching the Earth is converted to electricity by this array.

What is the area of the solar panel array needed to meet the US electrical demands? If the array is square, what is the length of one side?

Solutions

Expert Solution

Given date:

US yearly energy demand = 4000 milion MWh = =

Efficiency of solar panel = 10%

Sunlight sine per day = 12h

Let the total area solar panel needed to meet us energy demand is A m2

Now, we know the solar irradiance is = W/m2

Now total solar energy receive in one day (as 12h sunlight time) =

Total solar energy receive in one year = =

Total solar energy can be converted to electricity in one year = (Solar energy receive in one year) (Efficiency)

                                                  =% Wh/m2

                                                         = Wh/m2

                                                  =

So, Total electricity produce by A m2 area of solar panel in one year=

now this should be equal to the total yearly electricity demand of US

so

US yearly electricity demand = Total electricity produce by total area of solar panel in one year

genius_generous answered 1 year ago
Next > < Previous

Related Solutions

The annual electricity production/consumption for the GRU (Gainesville Regional Utility) territory is about 1.9 million MWh/yr....
The annual electricity production/consumption for the GRU (Gainesville Regional Utility) territory is about 1.9 million MWh/yr. Let’s assume that we can implement a significant energy efficiency program that can decrease the electricity consumption by 20%. It is also known that GRU has a 102.5 MW biomass power plant. With these facts and assumptions and your knowledge of solar energy, what size of PV array (in MW’s) needs to be installed for GRU to be 100% renewable powered for its annual...
Company MNO generates between 11000 and 15000 million dollars revenue per year. Suppose that the company's...
Company MNO generates between 11000 and 15000 million dollars revenue per year. Suppose that the company's revenue stays within this range. Use an interest rate of 9.75% per year compounded continuously. Fill in the blanks in the paragraph below, rounding your answers to the nearest tenth. The present value of MNO's revenue over a five year period is between _______________ and ______________ million dollars. Over a twenty-five year period, the present value falls between ____________ and _____________ million dollars
You own a small manufacturing plant that currently generates revenues of $2 million per year. Next...
You own a small manufacturing plant that currently generates revenues of $2 million per year. Next year, based upon a decision on a long-term government contract, your revenues will either increase by 20% or decrease by 25%, with equal probability, and stay at that level as long as you operate the plant. Other costs run $1.6 million dollars per year. You can sell the plant at any time to a large conglomerate for $5 million and your cost of capital...
PaperPro had previously acquired PaperExpo, which independently generates $800 million per year in revenues, with no...
PaperPro had previously acquired PaperExpo, which independently generates $800 million per year in revenues, with no material growth. The consolidated revenues for PaperPro (post-acquisition) are $1.5 billion in year 1, $1.8 billion in year 2 (the year of the acquisition), and $2.5 billion in year 3. If PaperPro closed the acquisition of PaperExpo on October 1 of year 2, what is the apples-to-apples organic growth for PaperPro in year 2 and year 3? How does this differ from reported revenue...
You own a small manufacturing plant that currently generates revenues of $2 million per year. Next...
You own a small manufacturing plant that currently generates revenues of $2 million per year. Next year, based upon a decision on a long-term government contract, your revenues will either increase by 20% or decrease by 25%, with equal probability, and stay at that level as long as you operate the plant. Other costs run $1.6 million dollars per year. You can sell the plant at any time to a large conglomerate for $5 million and your cost of capital...
A company generates perpetual revenues averaging $20 million per year. On average, raw materials are 60%...
A company generates perpetual revenues averaging $20 million per year. On average, raw materials are 60% of revenues. There are no other operating costs. (Ignore taxes.) A vendor offers to supply all raw materials for a five-year fixed price contract of $12 million per year. Subsequently, your company will revert to variable prices for raw materials. The company cost of capital is 10% and the cost of debt is 6% a. Calculate the value of the company with and without...
You run a perpetual encabulator machine, which generates revenues averaging $25 million per year. Raw material...
You run a perpetual encabulator machine, which generates revenues averaging $25 million per year. Raw material costs are 60% of revenues. These costs are variable−they are always proportional to revenues. There are no other operating costs. The cost of capital is 11%. Your firm’s long-term borrowing rate is 8%. Now you are approached by Studebaker Capital Corp., which proposes a fixed-price contract to supply raw materials at $15 million per year for 10 years. a. What happens to the operating...
Consider a project to supply 100 million postage stamps per year to the US Postal Service...
Consider a project to supply 100 million postage stamps per year to the US Postal Service for the next five years. You have an idle parcel of land available that cost $750,000.00 5 years ago; if the land were sold today it would net you $1,125,000 after-tax the land can be sold for $1,295,000 after tax in five years you will need to install 5.1 million in new manufacturing plant and equipment to actually produce the stamps this plant and...
Consider a project to supply 100 million postage stamps per year to the US postal service...
Consider a project to supply 100 million postage stamps per year to the US postal service for the next five years you have an ideal parcel of land available that cost $7500000 five years ago; if the land were sold today it would net you 1125000 after tax. The land can be sold for 1295000 after in five years. You will need install 5.1 million in new manufacturing plant and equipment to actually produce the stamps. This plant and equipment...
Lockheed Corporation reported EBITDA of $4,000 million in the year just ended (year 0), prior to...
Lockheed Corporation reported EBITDA of $4,000 million in the year just ended (year 0), prior to interest expenses of $1,000 million and depreciation charges of $600 million. Capital expenditures in the year just ended amounted to $1,000 million, and working capital was 8% of revenues (which was $20,000 million). The tax rate for the firm was 40%. The firm had debt outstanding of $18.00 billion (in book value terms), trading at a market value of $20.0 billion and yield a...
ADVERTISEMENT
Subjects
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest Questions
ADVERTISEMENT