I ran a simulation on every temperature, cloud coverage, solar radiation, humidity, and wind parameter of every hour of the year in a number of key locations around North America: in all, about sixty-five different meteorological parameters for each hour of the year for each location. I used a meteorological data set that had been carefully chosen to typify the weather in given locations sampled over decades. I optimized the hourly power output for every hour of the day, for every month of the year, and for every one of the five different regions. Then I combined it all into one energy-generation composite and reviewed the resultant hourly energy outcome against anticipated demand for every hour of the year. The damn thing works. and the price tag? a few hundred thousand square kilometers--which can be trimmed considerably once we introduce sidekicks such as wind turbines and energy storage caverns.
and the price tag? a few hundred thousand square kilometers--which can be trimmed considerably once we introduce sidekicks such as wind turbines and energy storage caverns.