Multimillion dollar solar project gets reduced to a heap of toxic rubble by one single hail storm.
The Scottsbluff, Nebraska 5.2 MW Community Solar project was part of the NPPD’s Sunwise program that consisted of an array has over 14,000 solar panels. It’s reported that it had been put into operation in 2019.
Surely the project had been ceremoniously put into operation, with dignitaries and proponents proclaiming it would reliably deliver cheap and clean energy, reduce the state’s carbon footprint and contribute to a bright and climate-friendly future.
Now it has been just recently reported that the multimillion dollar solar energy park was literally reduced to a heap of rubble as hail literally pummeled it to a pulp in just a matter of minutes days ago.
https://twitter.com/WxWyDaryl/status/1673830414329454592
The disaster underscores once again just how vulnerable to the forces of nature solar energy parks are. The system’s 25-year expected lifetime was cut to down to less than 4 years, and makes you wonder if setting up such weather-vulnerable plants make any sense at all.
Dreams vs reality
“This project will help the city achieve its goal to reduce our carbon footprint and stabilize city costs for the next 25 years,” said Nathan D. Johnson, City Manager, City of Scottsbluff. “Through projects like this, we hope to offer an affordable ‘green’ option to our residents, both residential and commercial, to reap the benefits as well.”
That was the dream. A couple of days ago we witnessed the reality.
Now residents will surely have to rely on good old, reliable fossil fuel power to keep the electricity flowing.
And how long will it take to clean up the toxic mess left behind?
This disaster has clearly been caused by climate change as the (mostly energy) inflation that is caused by the same climate change beast, according to BCE director and top planetary economist Christine Lagarde.
This shows that we must accelerate the wind and solar construction to fight climate change and thus decrease energy prices and preserve solar panels from … weather.
/s
https://cowboystatedaily.com/2023/06/27/baseball-sized-hail-smashing-into-panels-at-150-mph-destroys-scottsbluff-solar-farm/
“The hail shattered most of the panels on the 5.2-megawatt solar project, sparing an odd panel like missing teeth in a white smile.”
I was in Iowa City, Iowa many years ago when such a storm came. The hail ruined my convertible top (mostly worn out anyway) but did ruin new ones as well. Many hundreds of autos looked like they had been hit with a ball-peen hammer.
This was before solar panels (BSP).
I wonder if this was because of a design choice to use the most efficient panels rather than less efficient panels that perhaps need more maintenance but were hail resistant?
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I think this is a result of Global Intelligence Change and it’s dropping folks.
Maybe we now need to build a roof over all solar arrays to protect them from the ravages of climate change
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