Why California Built The World's Largest Solar Farm

This is the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, One of the largest solar farms in the world. The project was first announced back in 2011, and was completed in 2015. The entire solar farm generates enough electricity to power more than 150,000 homes throughout California. While many have praised the projects' success in California, and called for more Solar energy projects to be built, there are still a number of disadvantages that come along with this technology.

Even after California has invested tens of Billions of Dollars into solar energy, the entire state still faces electricity shortages as a result of transitioning away from fossil fuels, and some may question if this investment into solar energy truly makes sense.

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[erfquake]

There was nothing in this report to suggest in any way that CA solar investments have been a failure. Hence the title is knowingly deceptive. On one particular point; "there is some local criticism" that solar farms may reduce the value of nearby residents' property values. Excuse me, but what power generating facility would NOT do that? In fact, solar farms would have likely the least adverse affect on local property values of any power-generating model. This report is clearly designed to try to reach a disingenuous conclusion, and does a lousy job of it.

[Marcveleq]

Can somebody finally explain to me why this was a failure?

[Techa-lodc]

WHERE IS THE FAILURE! This facility works as designed and does what it's supposed to do. How is this a failure? It touched briefly on the potential disadvantages of large solar plants, neither of which affect this facility... I can only assume that the title was changed to game the algorithm...

[SkypowerwithKarl]

The most expensive part of green energy is storage batteries. Just to keep one 1500 square foot home under power 24/7 in mid summer requires a battery worth $20, 000. The inverters and solar panels are the cheap part. Then keep in mind that they probably need to be replaced in 20 years. In most places, like California the “grid tied” solar incentives have greatly diminished with too restrictive conditions to be worth doing when you run all the numbers especially long term.

[larrysmith]

Solar alone is not the answer. Hydro alone is not the answer. Wind alone is not the answer. Nuclear alone is not the answer. It's all working together plus other ways ( burn trash like other countries ) instead of bearing it in landfills. Options versatility the answer

[garyries]

$1.4 billion costs to build, divided by 160, 000 homes is less than $9, 000 per household. My 7.2 kwatt system with 18 solar panels costs me about $26, 000 before 26% tax break. The costs per house is pretty good. I like the idea of putting solar panels above the California aquaduct, which would reduce water loss to evaporation and also would generate electricity and not take up more land.

[jimd]

Didn't talk about the huge carbon footprint and ecological effects of mining needed in order to build solar panels

[Madeintheshade]

Honestly the entire east and west electrical grid needs a major upgrade.

[bobbresnahan]

It is very hard for solar farms to be "failures." It doesn't sound like this is an exception. Solar panels generate predictable volumes of energy. In some cases there are problems with transmission. Doesn't sound like this is the case here. Solar energy is roughly 1/5 the cost of energy generated by Natural Gas and 1/7 the cost of coal generation. Of course us clean. There are no emissions -- no fires, extreme wind events, etc. So this is a seriously misleading video.

[Hogger]

They keep building more solar farms and more solar farms and the lights still go out at figure it out.

[samuelmorales]

A energy grid run entirely on solar power is one of the most comical plans I ever come across.

[totallypluggedin]

I don’t see what’s a failure here, these solar farms are a great success story and we need as many as we can to stop burning fossil fuel.

[stevyd]

Yes, as the single and total producer of electric power for California's electrical needs, this one solar farm is not meeting that goal. It was never intended to do so. California has always relied upon hydropower to supply a large part of the electrical generation required for this state.
Unfortunately, the state is in the 20th (or more) year of the worst drought in 2, 000 years reducing the production of this form of generation. Also, as no federal permanent storage site for radioactive waste material has been developed, CA has begun to eliminate nuclear-powered electrical energy generation here. Carbon-fueled electrical generation has also been discouraged if not eliminated to slow the creation of greenhouse gasses.
Fortunately for California, many state-run institutions, private institutions, private businesses, and homeowners have installed solar power arrays to meet much if not all of their electrical needs. The growth in solar-powered electrical generation is constantly increasing throughout California. This $1.5 billion solar array is a large step in that direction, but not the only or final step.

[Sturgeonmeister]

One issue that isn't discussed, that is the conversion of DC voltage, created by the solar panels and also the batteries, to AC power. Conversion is done with devices called "Inverters". Power is actually lost thru this process. I recall seeing a video where it shows how high temperatures will negatively affect the Panels.

[bobshagit]

NOT ONCE DOES HE MENTION FAILURE IN THE VIDEO

[davidjames]

I accidentally backfed a solar panel with battery power, and to my surprise, sunlight came out of the panel.

[ronnieg]

When it's cloudy or dark when most power is needed you get nothing.

[countryclub]

I've driven by this and seen it in person. Quite a sight to see! It looks like a synthetic ocean glimmering in the sunlight.

[philliplamoureux]

Large expanses of city could have solar on the roofs without consuming anymore land. Also less transmission losses

[carloswater]

I'm reading the comments and a lot of people are saying that solar Farms are not a failure. I have a question for them. California relies on solar energy not on fossil fuels. So why are we having so many blackouts in many parts of California?? It seems solar energy is not sufficient