China is pushing the price of solar energy to the level of coal. However, it has a catch – Živé.sk

• In recent years, the price of solar electricity in the world’s most populous country has fallen significantly.
• According to the study, by 2060, 40% of China’s energy could be produced by the Sun.
• However, the issue of its long-distance storage and transmission needs to be addressed.
• Today’s batteries, which are composed of a number of precious metals, can be a problem.
• China is already making extensive use of other renewables.

Researchers published extensive analysis of the use of solar energy in the most populous country in the world. The study suggests that, combined with an optimal storage system, this form of electricity generation can satisfy almost half of the country’s total demand by the middle of this century. At the same time, its price will also drop significantly. On topic he pointed out ArsTechnica server.

The price may still fall significantly

The price of electricity produced by solar panels in China fell by 63% between 2011 and 2018. And this positive trend continues. This is mainly due to the constantly growing capacity of solar farms, which is the highest of all countries. Currently, China produces about a third of the world’s solar energy.

The current model has shown that, taking into account input costs, maintenance and financing, it is already possible in most parts of China to produce solar energy at a price similar to that resulting from coal-fired electricity generation. In 2022, the prices of both sources are set to equal 80% of the country’s territory, and by the end of this decade, the same scenario could cover the whole of China.

In the case of coal, whose reserves are limited, further price increases are expected in the future. On the contrary, solar energy is practically unlimited, and with the further increase in the efficiency of solar panels, the improvement of their production technology and the further increase in the rate of use of this source, the price of solar energy will continue to fall.

The authors of the study expect that while today one megawatt hour costs $ 49.3 (42.5 euros), by 2030 the price of solar energy could fall to $ 13 (11.2 euros) and by 2060 allegedly to $ 3 (2 , 6 euros) per megawatt hour.

There are also obstacles

At the same time, a higher rate of use of renewable electricity sources is part of China’s plan to achieve carbon neutrality, by 2060. However, there are still a number of challenges ahead in meeting these targets.

A major problem is the fact that most of China’s population is located in the southeast of the country, but the best conditions for solar energy production are in the northwest. However, the possibilities of transmitting electricity over too long distances are to some extent limited. Thus, the productivity of these solar power plants is reduced, as their capacity cannot be used suddenly.

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The current output of power plants does not always reflect the current demand. In addition, the performance of solar power plants is not constant, but their productivity depends on the current weather and time of day.

The researchers also indicated another obstacle, which is the ability to store the energy thus obtained, so that fluctuations in energy supply and demand can be mitigated.

Today’s batteries will not be enough

High-capacity batteries should be used for this purpose, especially to meet peak needs. The demand for electricity is normally high in the evening and early morning, when solar panels, however, practically do not produce energy.

However, with a well-set storage system, solar energy could cover around 40% of total demand in China by 2060.

However, the authors of the study face another obstacle. These are today’s batteries, which require a large amount of precious metals, whose resources are limited. Even taking into account the high recycling rate of materials, meeting the country’s targets would mean consuming up to 36% of all known cobalt reserves and 8% of lithium available worldwide. And these numbers fall only on China itself. Therefore, new types of batteries are a possible way.

Other alternatives

However, in addition to solar power plants, China also extends to other alternative sources, such as wind and water turbines, and last but not least, nuclear reactors.

A new study from China comes at a time when the country is struggling with a shortage of electricity mainly due to insufficient coal reserves and rising coal prices. At the same time, the country continues to send a signal to the world that it is increasingly trying to promote a policy of greener alternative sources.

The sustainable use of more renewable sources of electricity is a sustainable way.

Source: istock

The current energy shortage in China is affecting both households and industry, with some companies having to cut production. This also applies, for example, to companies which deal with the processing of silicon, necessary for the production of semiconductors. Whether and to what extent this situation will have an impact on the ongoing chip crisis is still questionable.

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