A fascinating perspective on solar power in WV. Enjoy. JBK
Beginning to monetize the real value of PV in WV ( http://groups.google.com/group/wva-sun/t/55155c416c8a8885 ) Bill Howley billhowley@hughes.net Jul 22 10:37AM -0400
I have attached a copy of a new study out of Carnegie Mellon that begins to monetize the impact of renewable power on the actual displacement of fossil fuel power in different parts of the US. PV is particularly valuable in the heavily coal dependent PJM and MISO regions. Because PV in WV directly displaces coal-fired power, the health benefits, expressed in the study in monetary terms are among the highest in the US. Here's an example from the report:
Solar panels in Indiana, Ohio, or West Virginia achieve significant health and environmental benefits by displacing coal-fired generators. Despite a poor solar resource, a 1-kW PV panel in Ohio provides $105 in health and environmental benefits per year ($75/MWh)---15 times more than the same panel in Arizona. Remarkably, if the goal is to improve air quality and human health, Arizona and New Mexico are among the worst locations for solar.
On the basis of this analysis, either a feed-in tariff or an SREC market that would provide PV producers with at least $75/MWh (one SREC) would be justified simply in terms of the health benefits we create for everyone in WV, including the rate payers that would be subsidizing the market or the FIT.
Now we have a number to start with.
There are some serious flaws in the study in its analysis of wind, but their PV analysis looks good. Here is my critique of the wind part of the study, as well as how the study was misinterpreted in the WaPo - http://calhounpowerline.com/2013/07/21/wapo-clueless-blogger-starts-well-end...