Yes, Minnesota has more solar potential than Germany. However, German electricity is 2.5x more expensive per kWh than Minnesota due to low efficiency decisions like turning off nuclear. This is having severe consequences to industry and those unable to afford to install and run air conditioning.
Solar in Minnesota is >60% more costly per kWh generated than wind. Yes, building solar in Becker recycles the transmission lines and gives a different covariance, but I am skeptical it is cheaper than simply building 100 more wind turbines and battery storage next to them to transmit in times of low generation.
Eh don’t sweat it. Everyone kept talking how Germany is impossible for solar, far too northerly, yadda yadda…
Today we’re producing more than 20% of our power with solar.
All of the US, with the exception of Alaska is very much more southern than Germany, even MN.
Yes, Minnesota has more solar potential than Germany. However, German electricity is 2.5x more expensive per kWh than Minnesota due to low efficiency decisions like turning off nuclear. This is having severe consequences to industry and those unable to afford to install and run air conditioning.
Solar in Minnesota is >60% more costly per kWh generated than wind. Yes, building solar in Becker recycles the transmission lines and gives a different covariance, but I am skeptical it is cheaper than simply building 100 more wind turbines and battery storage next to them to transmit in times of low generation.