Renewable Energy Tables and Important Solar Power Facts

1. Recent analysis by the Department of Energy (DOE) shows that by year 2025, one-half of the new U.S. electricity generation could come from the sun.

2. The United States has generated only 4 GW (1 GW is 1000 MW) of solar power. By the year 2030, it is estimated to be 200 GW.

3. A typical nuclear power plant generates about 1 GW of electric power, which is equal to 5 GW of solar power (daily power generation is limited to an average of 5 to 6 hours per day).

4. Global sales of solar power systems have been growing at a rate of 45% in the past few years.

5. It is projected that by the year 2020, the United States will be producing about 7.2 GW of solar power.

6. Shipment of U.S. solar power systems has fallen by 10% annually but has increased by 45% throughout Europe.

7. Annual sales growth globally has been 35%.

8. Present cost of solar power modules on the average is $2.33/W. By 2030 it should be about $0.38/W.

9. World production of solar power is 1 GW/year.

10. Germany has a $0.50/W grid feed incentive that will be valid for the next 20 years. The incentive is to be decreased by 5% per year.

11. In the past few years, Germany installed 130 MW of solar power per year.

12. Japan has a 50% subsidy for solar power installations of 3- to 4-kW systems and has about 800 MW of grid-connected solar power systems. Solar power in Japan has been used since 1994.

13. California, in 1996, set aside $540 million for renewable energy, which has provided a $4.50/W to $3.00/W buyback as a rebate.

14. In the years 2015 through 2024, it is estimated that California could produce an estimated $40 billion of solar power sales.

15. In the United States, 20 states have a solar rebate program. Nevada and Arizona have set aside a state budget for solar programs.

16. Total U.S. production has been just about 18% of global production.

17. For each megawatt of solar power produced, we employ 32 people.

18. A solar power collector, sized 100 bv 00 mi, in the southwestern United States could produce sufficient electric power to satisfy the country’s yearly energy needs.

19. For every kilowatt of power produced by nuclear or fossil fuel plants, 1/2 gal of water is used for scrubbing, cleaning, and cooling. Solar power requires practically no water usage.

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