More Theorycraft - Mountain top solar

Arqane
Arqane Solar Expert Posts: 31 ✭✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
I'm finding it hard to get good information on the magnitude of difference you would get for the best land-based situation. I would assume, not counting the trouble with maintenance and transmission, that the best theoretical place is on mountaintops that are above cloud level. The insolation maps do show these, on the Alps and Andes for instance. Plus it would have the benefit of keeping the panels quite cold.

The obvious point is that it's theoretically the best location on earth, but not feasible because of the 2 major issues above. Still, at least it's got certain benefits that space-based solar doesn't have, such as the ability to run a line to it and less cost to perform maintenance.

Part of this is judging the different effects that the variables have on the total power. If the temperature of the panels didn't make a huge difference, then placing panels on an island (artificial or otherwise) on the equator would probably be as effective as putting it on a mountain.

I'm sure there are people around here who are more familiar with it, and could clue me in on the effects of these variables.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: More Theorycraft - Mountain top solar

    The Joy of Elevated Panels.

    Two things happen: cold temps = superconductivity = higher Voltage, and less atmosphere = greater insolation = higher current.

    What's wrong with that? Nothing, unless the insolation causes the current to go above what the panel can handle as a conductor (possible in theory).

    Problem: you have to get that power back down the mountain. Okay, for any installation that is going to mean significant V-drop over the significant distance to civilization. How much depends on the usual factors of V, I, AWG, and D.

    But we can run really high Voltage, can't we? Lots of panels in series producing 40% more V than their rating. And when it gets down the mountain you can push it to a GTI or Hi-V controller, right? You probably would have enough Voltage left. Maybe too much. Hmm. Needs to come out to the right amount.

    Do you know one of the biggest problems with the grid is that despite using thousands of Volts on transmission lines 50% of the generated power is still lost in the wiring?

    Whereas the mountain top PV works in theory, ironing out the details would be a significant engineering challenge. If you factor costs in there's not much chance it would be practical over merely installing 50% more panel closer to where it's needed.
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  • Arqane
    Arqane Solar Expert Posts: 31 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: More Theorycraft - Mountain top solar

    Well, that's exactly what I was expecting, and why I asked. It would still be good to know the hard numbers. I'm actually working on much, much more realistic PV project in real life. Commercially sustainable, even. But it's always good to dream and see what parts of that actually help in reality.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: More Theorycraft - Mountain top solar

    "I had a lot of dreams once, and some of them came true; the honey's sometimes bitter when fortune falls on you."

    Or you find out too late that 8 years at university would have been better spent snoozing on the beach. :D
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