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Advantages
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The 89
petawatts of sunlight reaching the earth's surface is plentiful -
almost 6,000 times more - compared to the 15 terawatts of average
power consumed by humans. Additionally, solar electric generation
has the highest power density (global mean of 170 W/m²) among
renewable energies.
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Solar power
is pollution free during use. Production end wastes and emissions
are manageable using existing pollution controls. End-of-use
recycling technologies are under development.
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Facilities
can operate with little maintenance or intervention after initial
setup.
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Solar
electric generation is economically superior where grid connection
or fuel transport is difficult, costly or impossible. Examples
include satellites, island communities, remote locations and ocean
vessels.
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When
grid-connected, solar electric generation can displace the highest
cost electricity during times of peak demand (in most climatic
regions), can reduce grid loading, and can eliminate the need for
local battery power for use in times of darkness and high local
demand; such application is encouraged by net metering.
Time-of-use net metering can be highly favorable to small
photovoltaic systems.
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Grid-connected
solar electricity can be used locally thus reducing
transmission/distribution losses (transmission losses were
approximately 7.2% in 1995).
- Once the initial capital
cost of building a solar power plant has been spent, operating
costs are extremely low compared to existing power technologies.
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