Oh Hail No! Nebraska Solar Farm Destroyed by Hail Storm

[Yadkin]

Natural gas is the clear winner here.

[Aerovette]

Let me know when an oil field is damaged by hail.

[Unsuspicious]

What a bunch of idiots. They should've put the solar panels indoors!

[dvarapala]

Originally Posted by Unsuspicious

What a bunch of idiots. They should've put the solar panels indoors!

Or at least built metal shelters over them.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by aerovette

Let me know when an oil field is damaged by hail.

Hail probably isn't a big issue, but a deep freeze, as you will recall, took out large swaths of Texas energy infrastructure as natural gas wellheads froze up.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Unsuspicious

What a bunch of idiots. They should've put the solar panels indoors!

Originally Posted by dvarapala

Or at least built metal shelters over them.

Sirius answer: Put them on hinged rotisseries, rotate them upside down when inclement weather is expected, fortify the bottom sides to withstand hail.

[Unsuspicious]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

Sirius answer: Put them on hinged rotisseries, rotate them upside down when inclement weather is expected, fortify the bottom sides to withstand hail.

Wrong. Put them indoors, and when you want to make energy, just turn on the lights!

[Bill]

Houston is supposedly putting in a solar 'farm' on an old landfill site in Sunnyside, one of the most dangerous areas in the whole country. I'm actually OK with that. Solar isn't a good base load source of power, but in hot, sunny places like Houston, it would seem to be helpful for peak demand, when it's scorching hot and air conditioners are being run to the max. Even though extremely hot weather reduces solar output, at the time we need the most power for all that excess a/c, solar panels are doing their best work.

I'm OK with solar for specific niche situations like this. The land can't be used for anything else productive, and if solar installations like this can pick up the slack, we need fewer 'peaker' plants, expensive to build and maintain, only to be called upon a few times a year as reserve capacity.

In most cases, though, I don't see solar making sense. It certainly doesn't make sense for home rooftop here. The ROI is just too....unknown, when you factor in maintenance, extra insurance, extra costs when re-roofing, etc.

[snide]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

Houston is supposedly putting in a solar 'farm' on an old landfill site in Sunnyside, one of the most dangerous areas in the whole country. I'm actually OK with that. Solar isn't a good base load source of power, but in hot, sunny places like Houston, it would seem to be helpful for peak demand, when it's scorching hot and air conditioners are being run to the max. Even though extremely hot weather reduces solar output, at the time we need the most power for all that excess a/c, solar panels are doing their best work.

I'm OK with solar for specific niche situations like this. The land can't be used for anything else productive, and if solar installations like this can pick up the slack, we need fewer 'peaker' plants, expensive to build and maintain, only to be called upon a few times a year as reserve capacity.

In most cases, though, I don't see solar making sense. It certainly doesn't make sense for home rooftop here. The ROI is just too....unknown, when you factor in maintenance, extra insurance, extra costs when re-roofing, etc.

If I was [dumb|fortunate] enough to live in Houston, I'd probably have solar panels on my house.

[The_Dude]

[Egnalf]

Having utility content available and productive speaks of low character.

[ZipZap]

Originally Posted by snide

If I was [dumb|fortunate] enough to live in Houston, I'd probably have solar panels on my house.

Houston smells like Lume crotch.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by ZipZap

Houston smells like Lume crotch.

It really does smell. You don't notice it, but when we work out of town, rural, many times, in the woods, you just notice the air smells clean. It's subtle. Then when you go back, you don't notice right away, but you do eventually notice....it doesn't smell clean anymore.

[Bruze]

Originally Posted by The_Dude

[snide]

Originally Posted by ZipZap

Houston smells like Lume crotch.

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

It really does smell. You don't notice it, but when we work out of town, rural, many times, in the woods, you just notice the air smells clean. It's subtle. Then when you go back, you don't notice right away, but you do eventually notice....it doesn't smell clean anymore.

I've been to Houston. I'm well aware.