Batteries could revolutionize the management of electricity, allowing it to be moved in both space and time. According to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, there is 2.6 TW of generation and storage capacity waiting to be connected to the grid in the United States, including 1 TW of solar.
Another interesting innovation is the SunTrain project, in which the company Planetary Technologies, led by Dr. Carlson, has invested. This project involves using solar farms located near railway lines to charge batteries integrated into freight cars. A 100-car train could provide 3 GWh of energy. Instead of building expensive transmission lines, SunTrain proposes to transport energy with just a few trains per day.
large-scale solar expansion is primarily occurring in buy phone number list the Global South, where there is ample land, greater access to the sun, and growing energy demand. In India, Adani Green Energy has won rights to build solar parks in Gujarat and Rajasthan, each of which could produce up to 30 GW of solar power. This expansion is driven by two factors: energy security and domestic finances. India wants to reduce its dependence on imported gas and oil, which contribute to its current account deficit. However, India’s solar transition is not just about decarbonization, but also about the need for more energy from diverse sources.
Meanwhile, in middle-income countries, solar could increase overall capacity, partially replacing coal and other clean or expensive energy sources, but not completely eliminating existing coal plants. It is plausible to imagine a future in which countries powered primarily by solar and coal coexist.