| Description |
1 online resource (4 p.) : ill. |
| Series |
NREL/CP ; 670-42971 |
|
Conference paper (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S.)) ; 670-42971.
|
| Type Of Report |
Conference paper. |
| Note |
Title from title screen (viewed June 6, 2008). |
|
"May 2008." |
|
"Presented at SOLAR 2008 - American Solar Energy Society (ASES), San Diego, California, May 3-8, 2008." |
| Summary |
Land use is often cited as an important issue for renewable energy technologies. In this paper we examine the relationship between land-use requirements for large-scale photovoltaic (PV) deployment in the U.S. and PV-array configuration. We estimate the per capita land requirements for solar PV and find that array configuration is a stronger driver of energy density than regional variations in solar insolation. When deployed horizontally, the PV land area needed to meet 100% of an average U.S. citizen's electricity demand is about 100 m2. This requirement roughly doubles to about 200 m2 when using 1-axis tracking arrays. By comparing these total land-use requirements with other current per capita land uses, we find that land-use requirements of solar photovoltaics are modest, especially when considering the availability of zero impact "land" on rooftops. Additional work is needed to examine the tradeoffs between array spacing, self-shading losses, and land use, along with possible techniques to mitigate land-use impacts of large-scale PV deployment. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (p. 4). |
| Funding |
DE-AC36-99-GO10337. PVB7.6403. |
| Subject |
Photovoltaic power generation -- Environmental aspects.
|
|
Land use and energy conservation.
|
| Added Author |
Margolis, Robert M. (Robert Mark)
|
|
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S.)
|
| Gpo Item No. |
0430-P-04 (online) |
| Sudoc No. |
E 9.17:NREL/CP-670-42971 |
|
