Solar power farm coming to Disney

[GoofGoof]

Yucca Mountain, I believe is what you're referring to. Not sure why that went off the rails. I think most of the waste planned for there was diverted to the big old hole in the ground out my way in Carlsbad, NM. The W.I.P.P. Though that is or was meant to store nuclear waste resulting from research and weapons building, not power plants.

Most of the waste is still stored onsite at the plants. The transportation issue is just as big or bigger an issue as a final storage space. No towns want a train full of nuclear waste going through because of the risk of an accident and trucks are even more problematic.

 

[GoofGoof]

The answer, for now at least, is nuclear. Given all the other options, nuclear has the perfect balance of low pollution, steady output and a small footprint. IMHO, it would be the quickest way to get us off coal while solar, wind, water and battery technology get to the point where they are viable.

Nuclear is way too expensive right now. With fracking, nat gas is so cheap and that sets the price for power. Some existing nuclear plants are asking states to supplement them just to stay economic. 10 years ago when nat gas spiked and was $8 to $10 per mmbtu nuclear looked really attractive. With $2 nat gas nuclear can’t compete. Solar and in some specific cases wind is actually more cost competitive than nuclear.

100% agree. Unfortunately, too many people are scared by nuclear to bring this to fruition. A realistic electricity generation plan would be something like 40% nuclear, 20% wind, 10% solar, 6% hydroelectric, 24% natural gas. Realistically, renewable energy isn't going to reach 50%+ anytime soon. The technology just isn't there yet.

Renewables could reach 50% but a lot depends on battery technology. The grid does not like solar power that ramps down rapidly when a cloud passes over. Any renewables need to be supplemented with quick start nat gas units designed to be ramped up and down to smooth out the generation. At some point in the future battery storage could in theory replace the peaking nat gas units. You could also have houses and industrial buildings go true off grid by over producing during the day and storing the excess for the night.

Nuclear cannot be ramped up and down quickly or frequently. It’s best served as a pure baseload power source so you really can’t go much above the minimum required MWHs.

 

[danlb_2000]

Permits were filed for the new solar farm. All the solid black areas will be solar panels. They are squeezing them in where every they can between the storm water infiltration basins.

 

[matt9112]

Permits were filed for the new solar farm. All the solid black areas will be solar panels. They are squeezing them in where every they can between the storm water infiltration basins.

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oh wow not to derail. but I have always seen those and been like what the heck are these.

 

[danlb_2000]

oh wow not to derail. but I have always seen those and been like what the heck are these.

I knew they had to do with storm water, but I didn't know exactly what until I just looked it up. Unlike other kinds of storm water control, infiltration basins don't discharge into another body of water, they simply hold the water until it drains into the earth and re-enters the aquifer.

 

[Master Yoda]

I knew they had to do with storm water, but I didn't know exactly what until I just looked it up. Unlike other kinds of storm water control, infiltration basins don't discharge into another body of water, they simply hold the water until it drains into the earth and re-enters the aquifer.

Retention ponds or basins seem to be the go to type of stormwater control in Florida.

Discharging into creeks and rivers has a whole heap of cons like pollution and down river flooding so it is avoided to outright banned in some locations.

 

[JoeCamel]

Permits were filed for the new solar farm. All the solid black areas will be solar panels. They are squeezing them in where every they can between the storm water infiltration basins.

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That will be quite the sight from the 429

 

[Coaster Lover]

Permits were filed for the new solar farm. All the solid black areas will be solar panels. They are squeezing them in where every they can between the storm water infiltration basins.

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Seems a good use of land that they really wouldn't have been able to use for anything else.

 

[larryz]

They should put gutters along the bottoms of the solar panels and hook up a water catchment system to provide grey water for toilet and vehicle wash use.

 

[matt9112]

Nuclear is way too expensive right now. With fracking, nat gas is so cheap and that sets the price for power. Some existing nuclear plants are asking states to supplement them just to stay economic. 10 years ago when nat gas spiked and was $8 to $10 per mmbtu nuclear looked really attractive. With $2 nat gas nuclear can’t compete. Solar and in some specific cases wind is actually more cost competitive than nuclear.
Renewables could reach 50% but a lot depends on battery technology. The grid does not like solar power that ramps down rapidly when a cloud passes over. Any renewables need to be supplemented with quick start nat gas units designed to be ramped up and down to smooth out the generation. At some point in the future battery storage could in theory replace the peaking nat gas units. You could also have houses and industrial buildings go true off grid by over producing during the day and storing the excess for the night.

Nuclear cannot be ramped up and down quickly or frequently. It’s best served as a pure baseload power source so you really can’t go much above the minimum required MWHs.

like the massive bank in Australia? that can react in milliseconds.

 

[larryz]

like the massive bank in Australia? that can react in milliseconds.

A $389 million dollar battery with diesel generators... sounds like a big UPS to me...

 

[wishiwere@wdw]

That will be quite the sight from the 429

Plenty are already there; especially along Avalon. They go from being dry to having water gushing into them at any given time. Not the most attractive view but then again, probably better than building houses right up to the highway I guess lol

I suspect they are covered it what looked like a black lining to help evaporate the water quicker?

 

[Master Yoda]

Plenty are already there; especially along Avalon. They go from being dry to having water gushing into them at any given time. Not the most attractive view but then again, probably better than building houses right up to the highway I guess lol

I suspect they are covered it what looked like a black lining to help evaporate the water quicker?

No. They are uncovered.

Depending on the type of retention pond they will either drain via a combination of evaporation and seeping through the soil or they are designed to have some water in them at all times. The ones that always have water in them often have an overflow into an adjacent dry pond.

 

[GoofGoof]

like the massive bank in Australia? that can react in milliseconds.

Saving his cousin’s hide wasn’t the only reason Musk had Tesla buy Solar City. Batteries & solar power are complementary.

I think battery technology has a ways to go, but there’s some signs of progress.

 

[Skibum1970]

Permits were filed for the new solar farm. All the solid black areas will be solar panels. They are squeezing them in where every they can between the storm water infiltration basins.

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I wonder if they could put solar panels on top of the ride buildings? Fed Ex did that for one of their facilities and it powered itself. I mean, roofs are basically unusued and out of sight space, aside from any A/C or other machinery on top. Then, they wouldn't have to take nature out any more than necessary.

For storm water, I wonder how much they gather. Do they gather it from all hardscapes?

 

[JoeCamel]

I wonder if they could put solar panels on top of the ride buildings? Fed Ex did that for one of their facilities and it powered itself. I mean, roofs are basically unusued and out of sight space, aside from any A/C or other machinery on top. Then, they wouldn't have to take nature out any more than necessary.

For storm water, I wonder how much they gather. Do they gather it from all hardscapes?

You know all that pretty green landscaping they have at WDW? The only way to get that is to add fertilizer as what we call "soil" in Florida is sand with very little organic matter. All that fertilizer runs off when it rains and if you let it get into the waterways is causes algal blooms that deplete the oxygen in the water killing all that lives there and clogging the waterways. You must capture the runoff and treat the water til it no longer has those nutrients. Hardscape, landscape no matter, the runoff has to be captured and cleaned before allowing it to enter the natural water system.

 

[Monorail_Red_77]

I knew they had to do with storm water, but I didn't know exactly what until I just looked it up. Unlike other kinds of storm water control, infiltration basins don't discharge into another body of water, they simply hold the water until it drains into the earth and re-enters the aquifer.

Another fun fact. I've also recently discovered through Prop Appraiser site that this are is owned by RCID. I would also guess that these could or are also used for reclaimed water discharge basins. They are pretty close to the wastewater treatment plant.

 

[Master Yoda]

Another fun fact. I've also recently discovered through Prop Appraiser site that this are is owned by RCID. I would also guess that these could or are also used for reclaimed water discharge basins. They are pretty close to the wastewater treatment plant.
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The water collected from storm water run off is typically not used at all as it is not really good for anything but fish and turtles until it is at least partially treated. I had a neighbor draw water from the retention pond we have behind our house to water his lawn. He might as well have watered it with straight Round Up.

Typically, the stormwater will just drain back into the aquifer with the ground between the surface and the aquifer acting as a filter.

What is shown in this picture very well might be holding ponds which are a very different animal. Holding ponds are were contaminated water is stored until it can be treated. They are made with an impermeable bottom so they don't drain into the aquifer. The water will be pumped from these holding ponds to a treatment facility.

Depending on the treatment facility that water can become anything from non-potable reclaimed water that can be used for irrigation to drinkingwanter that comes from your tap.

 

[Skibum1970]

You know all that pretty green landscaping they have at WDW? The only way to get that is to add fertilizer as what we call "soil" in Florida is sand with very little organic matter. All that fertilizer runs off when it rains and if you let it get into the waterways is causes algal blooms that deplete the oxygen in the water killing all that lives there and clogging the waterways. You must capture the runoff and treat the water til it no longer has those nutrients. Hardscape, landscape no matter, the runoff has to be captured and cleaned before allowing it to enter the natural water system.

That makes sense. Here in Ohio, we have a lake that was basically off limits to any activity due to the pollution caused by run-off from farms and the fertilizers applied. I remember being told to never pull off the road in Florida as a car gets stuck in dirt that was really sand.

Those algae blooms are some scary stuff.

 

[JoeCamel]

That makes sense. Here in Ohio, we have a lake that was basically off limits to any activity due to the pollution caused by run-off from farms and the fertilizers applied. I remember being told to never pull off the road in Florida as a car gets stuck in dirt that was really sand.

Those algae blooms are some scary stuff.

Yeah, this stuff is scary but we can control it with sensible fertilizer use. Might mean WDW and other places look less lush and the sugar growers don't make as much money but Florida is built on tourism and not just to Orlando. If the Pols will find the will to make it so and stop kow-tow ing to the sugar and other industries that pay their campaign bills this kind of pollution can stop.
I don't usually stand up on a soap box but I do want people to understand what they spread on the ground doesn't stay there,

it moves into the waterways so it needs to be controlled. These series of ponds will do that. What came out of the second largest freshwater lake (surface area) in the US to the east coast of Florida is shown above.