ratio defined as electrical energy out over lifetime primary, non-renewable energy in over lifetime For many purposes it is desirable to exclude fuel from the denominator of this expression. Doing so for SPS and other solar energy systems that use no primary, non-renewable energy as fuel excludes their most desirable feature. Solar photovoltaic systems also tend to have lower energy ratios than fossil or nuclear systems because of the current high energy intensities involved in the production of solar cells. However, when fuel is included in the calculation the energy ratios of nuclear and fossil systems drop to a fraction of the lowest value found for SPS in the studies cited above. As a subtask of the Comparative Assessment, a net energy analysis is being conducted which will attempt to resolve some of the controversy inherent in this topic by carefully comparing the two solar cell options of the SPS (silicon and gallium-aluminum-arsenide) with coal, nuclear and terrestrial solar electric energy systems. The final comparative assessment report is scheduled for completion in June 1980. II.3 How much disruption of human settlement patterns and wildlands will the SPS rectenna system create in comparison to coal and oil shale fuel cycles? A detailed study is in progress at Rice University to find areas in the United States that satisfy specified criteria such as minimum population density, non-agricultural use, water availability, noninterference with flyways of migratory fowl, etc.25 The study will reveal areas that are potentially suitable for rectenna siting, or as sites for other power plants, as a function of input criteria. Determination of ultimate suitability would require site-specific analyses for competing scenarios which would include estimates of disruption to human settlement patterns and wildlands. The final report is due in May 1980; preliminary results were given in: Blackburn, James B. Jr., and Bill A. Bavinger, SPS Preliminary Societal Assessment: Mapping of Exclusion Areas for Rectenna Sites, DOE HCP/R-4024-10, October 1978.
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