2,500 football fields of new solar panels destroyed by hail in Texas this week
Posted by freedomforall 1 month ago to Government
Content:
Imagine the outcry if a coal plant was obliterated by hail?
A few days ago, a 3,300 acre solar power plant in Texas suffered major hail damage. This was a plant so new it was still under construction. The Fighting Jays solar project started generating in 2022, but was not expected to be fully complete until the end of 2024. In theory it was supposed to last for 35 years.
It is so large they boasted that it covers 2,499 football fields (like that is a good thing). Despite the vast footprint, it was rated at only 350 MW. At noon at peak production it could generate about half of what one forty year old coal fired turbine makes all day every day, and every night too.
Collecting low density energy is more expensive than the wish-fairies might think.
At an average construction price of $1 million per megawatt the project likely cost about $350 million dollars. In order to rebuild it, they will need to remove and dispose of the broken panels, so it may cost even more.
The Fighting Jays solar farm was insured against hail damage. Presumably insurance premiums will be rising.
Locals are worried about the possibility of contamination with heavy metals, plastics and other chemicals in the local water supply. Hopefully they won’t leave it all there to rot.
On the plus side, the hailstorm reduced some pollution of the Texas energy market.
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More insanity bites the dust?
No, they will get reimbursed for any loss by taxpayers (what else? Joe follows orders) and insurance rates in TX will go up up up.
Imagine the outcry if a coal plant was obliterated by hail?
A few days ago, a 3,300 acre solar power plant in Texas suffered major hail damage. This was a plant so new it was still under construction. The Fighting Jays solar project started generating in 2022, but was not expected to be fully complete until the end of 2024. In theory it was supposed to last for 35 years.
It is so large they boasted that it covers 2,499 football fields (like that is a good thing). Despite the vast footprint, it was rated at only 350 MW. At noon at peak production it could generate about half of what one forty year old coal fired turbine makes all day every day, and every night too.
Collecting low density energy is more expensive than the wish-fairies might think.
At an average construction price of $1 million per megawatt the project likely cost about $350 million dollars. In order to rebuild it, they will need to remove and dispose of the broken panels, so it may cost even more.
The Fighting Jays solar farm was insured against hail damage. Presumably insurance premiums will be rising.
Locals are worried about the possibility of contamination with heavy metals, plastics and other chemicals in the local water supply. Hopefully they won’t leave it all there to rot.
On the plus side, the hailstorm reduced some pollution of the Texas energy market.
=============================
More insanity bites the dust?
No, they will get reimbursed for any loss by taxpayers (what else? Joe follows orders) and insurance rates in TX will go up up up.
ALL OF THEM
and all of this is fraud, based on lies and crap science
towns ae now demanding companies selling this crap put up bonds to cover the cost of removing these hazardous waste dumps as in 20 years when the panels are worthless the companies are long gone, out of business and the towns are left with the cost of removing this crap
Even when not damaged prematurely, they age-out after 20 years. Again, a disposal problem.
The same is true (although different materials) with wind turbines. Except they age-out in 10-12 years, and are made of unrecyclable materials.
So it only makes sense that we ban all our hydrocarbon sourced and nuclear power sourced power plants as quick as possible to hasten our demise.
Can someone explain to me exactly when this world started losing it's collective marbles and become bent on societal suicide?
I pray to you Jesus, come quick, I'm ready.
imo, this happened when the DeepState bankster cartel realized their Ponzi scheme end was near
as the USD collapses and they had to crush the middle class serfs to gain complete control before
a violent armed revolt against the 'ruling' banksters began.
(Either that or they are extraterrestrials intent on killing off all humans and terraforming earth for their species.)
The economy of the 'west' has been on this path for half a century, thanks to wall st and government corruption.
Keeping in mind, my average Electric bill just crept above $200/mo. It was like $150/mo or less for decades. (30 yrs in the house).
It never added up. The best I could say, is that I was prepaying for 20-30 years of electricity that MIGHT last 20yrs, and would, at best, cover 80% of my electricity, because A/C at night is actually a thing (and my largest contributor). I run my NEW A/C unit at 70 while I am sleeping. Because I can, and I sleep better, which leads to better health.
Recently, I was trying to see if I could INVEST some money by buying a piece of land (in TX), and load it up with Solar Panels. I Spent some time with Chat Jippity, and getting rough price estimates. Of course, it left off grading the land, maintenance.
But the end result was... I would NEVER recoup the cost of the panels, wiring, etc. Unless I ate the property taxes, and insurance costs. (ie, it would be better to own the land, and do NOTHING with it).
When I factored in REMOVAL after 20yrs. OMG. This was pure insanity. See, the goal, like a Storage Building, is to break even while the underlying asset increases in value. And you sell that off in strategic Chunks (at least that's the theory).
It was all so backwards. It's literally REMEDIATION to clean these up.
When I saw that headline... I cringed at the potential for loss I would have been absorbing.
Now, I do have a few solar panels and a battery backup that they charge. Enough to keep my fridge/freezer alive in case a storm takes us out. It is the WORST insurance investment I have made, but I could afford it, and it gives me a few other options. So 80% of the cost was "Peace of Mind, Less Stress"
(Just not important in a society where moving for employment overrules long term family stability.)
Reduce the energy needed for heating and cooling, and add resistance to storms with high winds.
Local builders are resistant to change. Lots of profit in stick buildings that don't last and cost a lot to cool.
Florida's heat and humidity combined can be a tough problem though for someone who doesn't tolerate sleeping in humid high 70's.
When I was single, I would let the place warm up during the day, and only have the A/C kick on just before I got hom, and then turn off at 8am. Back then my electricity bill on 1800 sq ft of A/C space was < $90/month. LOL.
Now that I work out of the house, I can't get away with it. BUT I pay close attention. Most people never read the bill. The first 750 KWh of power are discounted. So, I always tried to stay below that number.
I keep the humidity in the house about 45-50% above 50% and you start increasing the risk of mold, which I am quite sensitive to.
The one that annoys me is the water heater. They got smart in FL and started putting them in the garage where the ambient temp reaches 120. I turn mine down a few degrees. A huge savings.
But How hard would it be to put a small black bladder on the roof of the garage, and a simple pump. When the water up there is hot, just cycle the water through the pump and use far less electricity keeping the hot water hot. Sized appropriately, it could probably cut the electrical usage in Florida by 30-50% (for HW heaters)!
But everything matters. Vents need to seal against the wall/ceiling. Windows and doors should close tightly. You will always have some loss. But a huge percentage is easy to reduce.
There is a YT Channel I love. Matt Reisinger (The Build Show).
he goes through crazy levels of stuff and new people are coming up with cheaper and easier ways to get to 90% of what he spends a lot doing. That's the real value, to me. Stud Pack is another good one to watch. Father and Son doing house work!
I mentioned my granddad's house before, where we all (about 20-30 of us) met each summer when I was younger.
He had a water tank on the roof over the 'beach' shower.
We almost always had hot water for showers coming back from beach or fishing outings in the summer in NC.
(Sometimes the girls/women used more than the tank held, but in summer a cool shower wasn't a big issue.;^)
The Amish and the Mennonites might be onto something...
This passage sounds much more satirical than real; sometimes The Bee's articles are based on fact and are more sad than funny. This almost feels like one of those. I know it wasn't from The Bee, but it sure could have been.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlIj1...