Dear Moonmoon,

More important that the installed capacity by area (W/m¨2), is the final energy production (Wh) by the power plant area (including reservoir surface for the case of hydro power plants).

Fossil fuels have a high concentration of energy by mass or volume, thus the total plant area is smaller in comparisson to other technologies, such some renewables. There is no  an unique indicator to analise this, and you should take care of the narrative behind the numbers you find in the literature.

Best regards,

Rafael

Hi Rafael,

Thanks for your feedback and suggestion. Definitely when it comes to power density of renewable vs. non-renewable, fossil fuel outsmarts renewables heavily. For example, even if you hypothetically consider 100% efficiency and storage capacity of solar panel, the maximum power density will never reach greater than 200 Watt/mt.sq., which is significantly less than petroleum fuel (about 1000 Watt/mt.sq.). Indirectly, it suggests that you can't fulfil energy demand of large cities just depending on locally extracted renewables. A study suggest, if we bandage entire Delhi (capital of India) with solar panels, we will make only 50% of its power demand. So, I don't see any prospect of 100% future global renewable cities where 2/3 of world population resides today. You also have to consider space constraint in installing solar panel in congested households of our cities. Pl correct me, if my understanding is wrong.

Thanks and best regards,

Moonmoon

Hi Rafael,

Thanks for this question. the power per square meter is one of several criteria used in comparison between renewable energy and non renewable energy. The density of power is used for many purposes sucha as system sizing, maintenance, reliability and the number of stages of designed systems.

Dr. Adel OUESLATI 

The power density is an important comparison criterion for the electrical power generators. This criterion is very important for the installation area and cost of materials used to produce the electricity generators. The power density of the fossil fuel based thermodynamic machines is much higher than that  of the renewable energy specially that of the solar energy. The solar energy is low density one and vary with time during the day and from day to day.

Accordingly the installation cost for one kw conventional generation is greater and the area required is much smaller.

Taking the other comparison factors into consideration one has to pay attention to the fuel consumption and the pollutant  emissions which  loads the environment. So, the running costs are  appreciable from the side of consuming precious oil or gas or poisoning the environment. I think the current oil and gas prices are too low for their actual value.

I think it is not conventional versus renewable as the day will come where the fossil fuel will be depleted and one has to use the renewable energy sources specially the solar energy as it is undepletable and it is the original source of all other sources including the fossil fuels.

For the area required to install photovoltaic power stations , it is available as such sations can be erected in unpopulated  areas and the electricity is transmitted to the consumption areas. 

Best wishes

Because the energy released or the heat released from the reaction is affected by the amount of fuel mass