Info-graphic: Solar vs. Coal

Solar vs. Coal, a Tale of Two Trains


by Ranveer Yadav


















Clickable references:


1. Average size and weight of coal trains – Trainorders.com
2. Pallet of SolarWorld SW320XL panels – Wholesalesolar.com
3. EIA Energy Review for 2016, tables 7.2b and 7.3b – US EIA
4. 1 ton of freight 470 miles on 1 gallon of fuel – CSX
5. ~940 miles per train trip – Association of American Railroads, 2013
6. Assuming 320W STC per panel, 4 hours peak sun per day, 20% loss from wiring/inversion, 365 days per year
7. Assuming 14,400 tons of coal per train, 1 kWh per pound (see reference #3).
8. LCA of Photovoltaics – National Renewable Energy Laboratory
9. 4,350 tons per acre, when the coal is 30 inches thick – Kentucy Coal Education
10. 980 g CO2-eq/kWh – Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2012
11. Environmental impacts of coal power – Union of Concerned Scientists
12. 13,000 kWh/person/year, World Bank dataset

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