DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Renewable Revolution
HTML https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Renewables
*****************************************************
#Post#: 2388--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Picture of Renewable Energy Growth
By: AGelbert Date: December 15, 2014, 1:13 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
A $48 Billion Opportunity for US Electric Customers [img
width=70
height=60]
HTML http://elqahera-trading.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dollar-sign-thumbnail1.jpg[/img]<br
/>
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/assets/images/user/j/71278-20101105215955.jpg
John Farrell
December 15, 2014 | 1 Comments
Electricity customers in the U.S. got good news last week.
HTML http://www.freesmileys.org/emoticons/emoticon-object-062.gif
A new report from Accenture highlighted a potential revenue loss
for U.S. utilities of $48 billion per year by 2025 due to
distributed solar and energy efficiency. But where does that
money go? If we pursue a democratic energy system as outlined in
ILSR's new report (also released last week), it goes right into
the pockets of utility customers.
Read on for an explanation of how we can achieve energy
democracy
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/47b20s0.gif
out of the
turmoil of today's electricity system.
A System Under Stress
Why are U.S. electric utilities facing huge revenue losses?
Because their business model, built around a 20th century
centralized command-and-control electric utility, is
increasingly outdated in an age when we can produce power on
rooftops from ubiquitous sunshine and manage energy individually
on ubiquitous smartphones.
See the following timeline released in ILSR's new report to
understand the changes being wrought.
[img width=740
height=480]
HTML http://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/beyond-utility-2.0-to-energy-democracy-graphics-ILSR.003.jpg[/img]
U.S. Electricity System Timeline
There have been three waves of change crashing over the electric
utility system in the past 50 years: Shock & Competition,
Deregulation, and Transition. The third wave, powered by
distributed renewable energy and stagnant energy demand and
aided by state regulation, isn't going to recede.
HTML http://www.desismileys.com/smileys/desismileys_0293.gif
Already, the Wall Street Journal notes that the era of growing
electricity sales is likely over.
[img width=740
height=480]
HTML http://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/P1-BQ847_LESSPO_G_20140728182704.jpg[/img]
WSJ stagnant electricity demand
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/maniac.gif
Not only is demand falling, but competition from renewable
energy sources is growing. In the past few years, that
competition isn't just from other large power producers, but
from utility customers themselves (see the growth of "small
solar" in particular (and red), representing residential and
commercial installations 1 megawatt and smaller).
[img width=740
height=480]
HTML http://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/beyond-utility-2.0-to-energy-democracy-graphics-ILSR.007.jpg[/img]
Renewable Energy Share of New U.S. Power Plants
The $48 Billion Question for a New Business Model
HTML http://www.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-301014182447.gif
Utilities haven't given up in the face of this threat. In fact,
they're often actively fighting it while they continue to invest
in the infrastructure for last century's grid >:( (read more in
ILSR's report).
These battles are the origin of "Utility 2.0," a business model
discussion inside and outside of utilities that would allow
electric companies to accommodate flat energy demand and rising
customer energy production. It's good policy, focused on
shifting the principles of the electricity system to a
low-carbon, flexible, and efficient one as well as shifting
utility incentives to achieve these outcomes.
But Utility 2.0 will prove inadequate if it remains indifferent
to the flow of energy dollars out of communities (the $48
billion question).
Already, 500,000 U.S. homes sport solar energy and it gets more
affordable every year. Rooftop solar, smartphones, and
widespread energy storage will give utility customers
unprecedented opportunity to control their energy usage, and to
capture their share of the nation's energy dollars. A 2.0
utility business model that doesn't accommodate this opportunity
for local, equitable access to energy production and management
will leave many U.S. electricity consumers deeply unsatisfied.
Energy Democracy
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/cowboypistol.gif
That's the central point of Utility 3.0, or as we call it,
energy democracy. It adds two other principles – local control
and equitable access – to the low-carbon, flexible, and
efficient grid of the future to make the Five Pillars of Energy
Democracy. The following graphic illustrates the principles of
the ideal 21st century electricity system and how the policies
of the electricity system contribute to achieving those desired
outcomes.
[img width=740
height=480]
HTML http://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/beyond-utility-2.0-to-energy-democracy-graphics-ILSR.027.jpg[/img]
Five Pillars of Energy
Democracy
HTML http://www.websmileys.com/sm/violent/sterb029.gif
How do we get to energy democracy from where we are now?
[img width=100
height=60]
HTML http://dl10.glitter-graphics.net/pub/2491/2491210ovie015m90.gif[/img]<br
/>
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/19.gif
In Vermont, the state has already identified and adopted many of
the key strategies and policies, from robust net metering to
integrated distribution and transmission planning. They have an
independent energy efficiency utility, and a feed-in tariff to
encourage broader distributed renewable energy development.
In New York, the state is Reforming the Energy Vision, and
considering how to make an open and transparent marketplace that
puts utility customers on an even footing with utilities in
providing key energy services. The following graphic illustrates
this concept.
[img width=740
height=480]
HTML http://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/beyond-utility-2.0-to-energy-democracy-graphics-ILSR.022.jpg[/img]
Energy democracy in action
Neither state has unleashed a system with real "energy
democracy" yet, but they're pursuing the right principles and
structure and policy that will lead in that direction.
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/128fs318181.gif
Will utilities survive this crashing wave of energy democracy?
It depends on your definition of survive. Will they continue to
profit from retaining control over the generation and
transaction of power on the electricity system? Perhaps not.
;DCould they profit from designing and deploying the
infrastructure and software to make a democracy energy
distribution system? Certainly. They just need a little vision.
[img width=40
height=40]
HTML http://www.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-051113192052.png[/img]<br
/>
[center]And we've got one to share. [/center]
[center]
HTML http://www.freesmileys.org/emoticons/tuzki-bunnys/tuzki-bunny-emoticon-036.gif[/center]
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2014/12/a-48-billion-opportunity-for-u-s-electric-customers?
This article originally posted at ilsr.org. For timely updates,
follow John Farrell on Twitter or get the Democratic Energy
weekly update.
The information and views expressed in this blog post are solely
those of the author and not necessarily those of
RenewableEnergyWorld.com or the companies that advertise on this
Web site and other publications. This blog was posted directly
by the author and was not reviewed for accuracy, spelling or
grammar.
1 Comments
A. G. Gelbert
December 15, 2014
Outstanding article!
I wish to add that Energy Democracy is the sure (and only!) path
to obtaining political democracy in the USA. Anybody that thinks
we have one is into magical thinking.
For those who think this is hyperbole, please remember what the
Fossil fuel Lobby and the Nuclear Power Lobby does with their
"profits". Look at the disproportionate "contributions" to MOST
of our (s)elected officials over the last half century.
The dirty energy welfare queens have gotten what they paid for.
As John noted, the utilities defending fossil fuels are fighting
Renewable distributed Energy tooth and nail. The Polluting
Energy Industries are the friend and advocate of centralized
energy. They provide the lion's share of "contributions" to
PACs.
The bottom line for we-the-people is that politicians never stay
bought. As long as Demand Destruction for dirty energy continues
apace, less welfare queen "profits" will be available to further
degrade our thoroughly degraded democracy.
The people of the English Colonies in America were able to be
totally independent of England by providing for everything they
needed in energy, food, shelter and clothing during the American
Revolution. Americans actually had totally distributed energy,
most of it renewable, in 1776.
And no, there was absolutely no reason to change that energy
picture as the industrial revolution gathered steam. Centralized
Energy was a stalking horse for centralized political power. It
still is.
This is how the oligarchic Oil barons and captains of industry
degraded our Democratic Representative Republic:
Around the year 1800, the power of a (white, land owner)
American citizen's vote was reasonable (if all the adult
citizens had been allowed to vote). At that time a NEW Rep could
be added to a state if the Congressional district exceeded
60,000 population. In 1918-19 the COUNT of reps was
UNCONSTITUTIONALLY frozen.
This assured corporations would get MORE influence while the
individual voter would get less. At present your vote is worth
one SIXTEENTH of what it was in the year 1800! Representative
Republic? I don't think so.
I cede the floor to Patrick Henry
[quote]"But we are told that we need not fear; because those in
power, being our representatives, will not abuse the powers we
put in their hands. I am not well versed in history, but I will
submit to your recollection, whether liberty has been destroyed
most often by the licentiousness of the people, or by the
tyranny of rulers.
I imagine, sir, you will find the balance on the side of
tyranny. Happy will you be if you miss the fate of those
nations, who, omitting to resist their oppressors, or
negligently suffering their liberty to be wrested from them,
have groaned under intolerable despotism!
Most of the human race are now in this deplorable condition; and
those nations who have gone in search of grandeur, power, and
splendor, have also fallen a sacrifice, and been the victims of
their own folly. While they acquired those visionary blessings,
they lost their freedom." [/quote]
I imagine that Patrick Henry, who is famously quoted as saying
he smelled a rat in Philadelphia (the Constitutional
convention), would have preferred one elected representative for
much fewer voters than 30,000. He wanted to keep a sharp eye on
the reps way back when. He would probably be outraged and
leading a revolution today.
Patrick Henry's rat was eaten by a Rockefeller T-Rex. We need to
kill this dinosaur. The damned thing will kill us all and then
start on it's own tail.
Do your part to provide a viable biosphere for future
generations AND obtain a Democratic Representative Republic in
the USA; go distributed Renewable Energy!
#Post#: 2389--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Picture of Renewable Energy Growth
By: AGelbert Date: December 15, 2014, 4:55 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[move]Excellent Comments to A $48 Billion Opportunity for US
Electric Customers by John Farrell.
HTML http://www.runemasterstudios.com/graemlins/images/2thumbs.gif[/move]
[quote]
Brian Donovan
December 15, 2014
Great articles, saved.
Watch out for the energy storage bugaboo. The grid already has
reserve generators to deal with baseload inflexibility and
unpredictable demand changes, it works just fine withe
intermittent but predictable solar and wind.
15 minutes battery grid stabilization help the "old" baseload
grid as much as it help the new, intermittent grid.
I see a different more democratic grid. Cities and town need to
own their grid and power sources, enough to stand alone at least
for several days. The grid is already organized with
"distribution substations" that supple a few 100 KW at the local
low voltage home use, from the higher voltage greater grid.
These distribution substations are the perfect place to put MSW
to energy and fuels systems feeding reserve gas turbines. The
local are installs solar on every good roof and parking lot.
This is a complete 24/7 system for isolated communities. This is
how the third world should build their grid.
In the first world, they are already all connected to the
greater grid. The advantages are numerous. They can sell excess
solar and electricity from wastes. They can draw electricity
from the greater grid when they want to. These distribution
stations have the switches to island in the case of greater grid
blackouts. No more multi state blackouts! The local communities
have the power to set terms on the greater grid giant utilities.
The local waste powered gas turbines are normally under control
of the greater grid controllers, and collectedly backup the
entire grid. Because it's distributed, the 7% grid loses nearly
vanish.
Finally, we add plug in hybrid electric cars with Vehicle to
Grid (V2G). Now we don't need wastefull spinning reserve. The
ecars collectively use 5% of their battery charge to stabilize
the grid as never before possible, down to the microsecond. The
reserve generators can be shut off till needed. The ecars
provide 5-15 minutes backup needed to start the reserve
generators up.
Plug in hybrids can even eliminate the need for the substation
reserve generator. 250 M 100kw ecars is many times the total
grid power. Sine they are hybrids, just keep feeding the fuel,
from wastes. Third world countries could have a system with
solar panels and a plug in hybrid. Done.[/quote]
[quote]
William Fitch III
December 15, 2014
Hi: Nice article. You have to, with RE, be able to handle times
when RE is not available.
Right now in PA we are having an extremely cloudy DEC. It may be
on track to be the cloudiest I have ever seen. Since Nov 26th, I
have had only two days of production where I have overtaken
load. The difference between Nov and Dec so far is an almost
complete inversion of load vs production. This won't last
forever of course, but these are the times that demand the most
creative engineering solutions to maintain RE production and
load matching.... Wind has been in the picture during this
period which would help of course, but by itself would not fill
all production "holes"....
.....Bill[/quote]
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2014/12/a-48-billion-opportunity-for-u-s-electric-customers?
Agelbert NOTE: See ETHANOL to fill the other Renewable Energy
production "holes". ;D
#Post#: 2440--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Picture of Renewable Energy Growth
By: AGelbert Date: December 23, 2014, 9:27 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Dec 23, 2014
Author: Laurie Guevara-Stone
Writer / Editor
You’ll Shoot the Climate’s Eye Out
[size=10pt]And 10 More Surprising Stats About Greenhouse Gas
Emissions[/size]
Christmas is just a few days away, and with it, also TBS’s
annual marathon of A Christmas Story. Readers of a certain
generation will remember it as the classic movie from 1983 in
which Ralphie Parker, the central character, pines for an
airsoft Red Ryder BB gun, only to be rebuffed, “You’ll shoot
your eye out.”
As it turns out, he’d do a number on the climate, too. The other
day a colleague alerted me to the fact that some airsoft guns
use HFC 134a as a propellant. HFC 134a is 3,800 times more
powerful than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas over a 20-year
period. :o
But here are 10 other statistics you might not know about
greenhouse gas emissions and energy this holiday season:
1. If considered as a separate nation, the United States’
building stock would rank third in energy consumption: Only
China and the U.S. consume more primary energy than the U.S.
built environment, which uses 8 percent of the world’s primary
energy, 42 percent of U.S. primary energy, and 72 percent of
U.S. electricity.
2. Searching for parking burns one million barrels of oil per
day: In Los Angeles alone, city drivers searching for parking in
a 15-block district drove more than 950,000 miles, emitted 730
metric tons of carbon dioxide, and burned 47,000 gallons of
gasoline.
3. Junk mail has a huge carbon footprint, not just a landfill
footprint: The energy used to produce, deliver, and dispose of
junk mail produces more greenhouse gas emissions than 2.8
million cars.
4. Micropower now produces about one-fourth of the world’s total
electricity: Low- and no-carbon micropower, which includes
renewables minus big hydro, plus cogeneration, now produces
one-fourth of the world’s electricity. When you add big hydro
and nuclear to the mix, micropower produced half the world’s
electricity in 2013.
[b]5. Photovoltaic power worldwide is scaling even faster than
cellphones:[/b] For the last 14 years, global solar PV
production has grown faster than 41 percent per year. The amount
of solar power installed worldwide is now over 140 GW.
[b]6. Renewable energy is cheaper than fossil fuels: [/b]The
cost of solar and wind power has plummeted so much in the past
five years that utility-scale renewable generation is now cost
competitive with, and in some markets cheaper than, coal and
natural gas, even without subsidies.
7. Efficient transportation beats out the fracking revolution:
Between 2004 and 2013 the decrease in driving in the U.S. along
with more-efficient vehicles displaced twice as many oil imports
than the U.S. fracking revolution and the consequent rise in
domestic oil output.
8. Efficiency beats out natural gas: In 2012, energy efficiency
displaced nearly twice as much domestically burned coal as
expanded natural gas use did. In fact, lower consumption due to
1974–2010 increases in energy efficiency was the largest single
energy resource across the 11 IEA member countries’ aggregate
total final consumption—bigger than oil, or than all other
sources combined.
9. Universities are striving for carbon neutrality: Since 2007,
the American Colleges and Universities Presidents’ Climate
Commitment has encouraged almost 700 colleges and universities
to commit to achieving carbon neutrality. A few small colleges
have already achieved carbon neutrality, most recently Colby
College in Maine.
10. There are more U.S. jobs in the solar industry than in coal
mining: In 2013 the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated
80,030 jobs for all occupations within the coal-mining industry.
Meanwhile, the Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census
2013, stated that the solar industry employed 142,698 Americans.
HTML http://blog.rmi.org/blog_2014_12_23_youll_shoot_the_climates_eye_out
Agelbert NOTE: It's nice when the hard, irrefutable, REAL WORLD
data CONFIRMS what I have been saying, in writing[/I]
HTML http://www.doomsteaddiner.net/blog/2012/07/17/hope-for-a-viable-biosphere-of-renewables/,<br
/>for TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
HTML http://www.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-200714191258.bmp<br
/>
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/128fs318181.gif
For those who insisted that fossil fuels are cheaper than
Renewable energy, [i]DINNER IS SERVED:
[center] [img width=640
height=380]
HTML http://lucidating.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/eatcrow.gif[/img][/center]
[center] [img width=100
height=100]
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/looksmiley.gif[/img]
[/center]
#Post#: 2452--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Picture of Renewable Energy Growth
By: AGelbert Date: December 26, 2014, 5:10 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
As Germans look to the future, Kaun notes that they have a
broader definition of energy storage than in the United States.
The U.S. definition of energy storage typically focuses on
electric power in, electric power out – that is, electricity
storage. Germany’s definition is broader, characterized by three
main categories: power to heat, power to gas (specifically
hydrogen) and power to power, which can utilize a range of
storage technologies, including electrochemical (batteries),
mechanical or thermal.
RenewableEnergyWorld.com's Top 10 Blogs of 2014
Check out the most popular blogs posted on REW during the past
year.
Renewable Energy World Editors
December 26, 2014
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/12/renewableenergyworld-coms-top-10-blogs-of-2014?page=all
HTML http://dl9.glitter-graphics.net/pub/1529/1529939gg8yeanop9.gif
#Post#: 2487--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Picture of Renewable Energy Growth
By: AGelbert Date: January 2, 2015, 7:03 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[move][font=courier]Richard Branson and Amory Lovins Join Forces
to Accelerate Clean Energy Revolution[/font][/move]
[img width=60
height=50]
HTML http://us.cdn2.123rf.com/168nwm/lenm/lenm1201/lenm120100200/12107060-illustration-of-a-smiley-giving-a-thumbs-up.jpg[/img]<br
/>
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/za4.gif
[img width=80
height=70]
HTML http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/yayayoy/yayayoy1106/yayayoy110600019/9735563-smiling-sun-showing-thumb-up.jpg[/img]<br
/>
December 17, 2014 11:09 am
The world’s three biggest carbon emitters—the U.S., China, and
the European Union—have all announced emissions goals or limits
in the past few months. That’s great news, but global fossil
fuel demand continues to rise, and with it, so do climate
change’s risks—to the economy, to the environment, to security,
to human health and to people living in poverty in areas where
climate change will have a devastating impact. The most recent
IPCC report (AR5) found that “warming of the climate system is
unequivocal,” “human influence on the climate system is clear,”
and “limiting climate change will require substantial and
sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”
Combating climate change through energy efficiency, renewable
energy technologies, clean transportation, and smarter land use
can reap rewards as great economically as environmentally.
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/128fs318181.gif
The 2014 report Risky Business: The Economic Risks of Climate
Change in the United States detailed the serious economic harm
we can expect from climate change if we continue on our current
path. But the challenge before us is about more than averting
the worst economic impacts of climate change. As highlighted in
the recently released Better Growth, Better Climate report from
The New Climate Economy, it’s also about finding enormous
economic opportunity in clean energy solutions that both tackle
global warming and unlock growth opportunities for all.
The transformation to a low-carbon future is arguably the
greatest business opportunity of our time. Combating climate
change through energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies,
clean transportation, and smarter land use can reap great
rewards both economically and environmentally.
Fortunately, an energy revolution is rising all around
us—enabled by smart policies in mindful markets, and led by
business for profit. Efficient energy use fuels more economic
activity than oil, at far lower cost, while its potential gets
ever bigger and cheaper. In each of the past three years, the
world invested a quarter-trillion dollars—more than the market
cap of the world’s coal industry—to add over 80 billion watts of
renewable capacity (excluding big hydro dams). Generating
capacity added last year was 37 percent renewable in the U.S.,
68 percent in China, 72 percent in Europe and 53 percent in the
world. Last year, the world invested over $600 billion in
efficiency, renewables, and cogeneration.
This growth is accelerating
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/balloons.gif:
solar power is
scaling faster than cellphones. Last year alone, China added
more solar capacity than the U.S. has added in 60 years. :o
[img width=110
height=100]
HTML http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/chinese-emoticon-22648577.jpg[/img]
Electric vehicle sales are growing twice as fast as hybrid cars
did at a comparable stage. Shrewd companies are realizing
climate solutions’ enormous business opportunities—a prospect
scarcely dimmed by cheaper oil, which makes only a few percent
of the world’s electricity.
Global companies like IKEA, Google, Apple, Facebook, Salesforce
and Walmart have committed to 100 percent renewable power.
Tesla’s stock is up an astounding 660 percent over the past two
years and has half the market value of General Motors Corp. The
NEX index, which tracks clean energy companies worldwide, grew
by 50 percent over the past two years—far outperforming the
general market—while equity raisings by quoted clean energy
companies more than doubled. Many of the world’s top financial
firms concur that the era of coal and of big power plants is
drawing to a close; Germany’s biggest utility is divesting those
assets to focus on efficiency and renewables.
Yet we need to create even bigger and faster change.
HTML http://www.desismileys.com/smileys/desismileys_0293.gif
Which is
why we are delighted to announce that our two nonprofit
organizations—Rocky Mountain Institute and the Carbon War
Room—are joining forces.
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/cowboypistol.gif
By uniting two
of the world’s preeminent nonprofit practitioners of
market-based energy and climate solutions, we will help turn the
toughest long-term energy challenges into vast opportunities for
entrepreneurs to create wealth and public benefit for all.
United we stand to make a greater impact more quickly. Indeed,
we already are. Our first combined program, the Ten Island
Challenge, is making progress in six Caribbean countries.
Caribbean economies suffer from some of the world’s highest
electricity prices—perpetuating poverty, swelling national
debts, and blocking sustainable development. They are also on
the front lines of climate change, facing earlier impacts from
sea-level rise, rising temperatures, and extreme weather events.
Our alliance is laying the groundwork to transform these
islands’ energy systems from dependence on costly imported
diesel oil to cleaner, cost-effective efficiency and local
renewables. This will cut electricity costs, boost private
investment, and enhance and diversify local jobs. We are
demonstrating that entire economies can adopt low-carbon
solutions while strengthening their economies.
And islands are just the beginning as we build on our
organizations’ initiatives already underway and on our new joint
efforts to go further, faster together. In trucking, the
learnings of our North American initiative will seed a new China
program—strengthening an exciting collaboration with the Chinese
government’s energy analysts that’s already showing the maximum
share of efficiency and renewables that could support the
forecasted economic growth of what will soon become the world’s
largest economy. In cement, we will join forces to offset the
energy surge from construction in the world’s fastest-growing
economies. And we will combine our work on cracking the biggest
nut of all: energy efficiency in buildings. Since they use
nearly three-fourths of U.S. electricity, that’s the key to
making electricity supply affordable, distributed, diverse,
resilient, and largely renewable.
Switching to a fossil-fuel-free energy system will not only cost
less, but will help re-ignite the world’s economies.
In the U.S. alone, Rocky Mountain Institute’s Reinventing Fire
analysis found that a 158-percent bigger economy could need no
coal and oil and one-third less natural gas, yet cost $5
trillion less than business as usual. We are closer than ever
before to transforming the world to a low-carbon energy system.
Rocky Mountain Institute and the Carbon War Room are excited to
coordinate their proven approaches to scaling transformational
change worldwide. Together, we will more than double our impact
on the scale and speed of the energy transformation to a clean,
prosperous, secure and low-carbon world.
We will reach this better world only if we all collaborate. None
of us can do this on our own. That’s why we are thrilled to be
joining forces, and hope that others will be inspired to do the
same—so we can build this exciting new world of opportunities at
the pace our grandchildren require.
HTML http://ecowatch.com/2014/12/17/branson-lovins-clean-energy-revolution/
Agelbert Comment: GO GET EM' Amory!
HTML http://www.websmileys.com/sm/violent/sterb029.gif
HTML http://www.freesmileys.org/emoticons/tuzki-bunnys/tuzki-bunny-emoticon-022.gif
#Post#: 2489--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Picture of Renewable Energy Growth
By: AGelbert Date: January 2, 2015, 10:19 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Germany To Dump Coal?
HTML http://cleantechnica.com/2014/11/07/germany-dump-coal/
;D
Snippet 1:
Germany is looking into cutting its use of coal power, at the
same time that it is cutting out nuclear.
HTML http://www.runemasterstudios.com/graemlins/images/2thumbs.gif
If it does, there could be a ripple effect because Germany is a
major player in the European energy market. A Berlin-based
journalist said that Germany’s emphasis on renewables is already
impacting electricity markets in Poland and the Czech Republic.
(Denmark is also exploring how it might go coal-free, but even
sooner.)
Snippet 2:
Currently about 45% of Germany’s electricity comes from burning
coal. However, it was reported recently that new coal plants
will not be financed there. About 24% came from solar and wind
last year, but that amount could expand to 45% by 2025, if
targets are met.
Snippet 3:
The decision to dump coal is not the easiest one to make, but
Germany has been a world leader in renewables, so it seems only
logical for fossil fuels to be phased out.
The speed at which the German government is moving on its energy
transition is very impressive. Another issue is how much money
Germany will save over time by reducing energy imports.
Germany To Dump Coal?
HTML http://cleantechnica.com/2014/11/07/germany-dump-coal/
Agelbert NOTE: Unlike fossil fuel funded "energy experts" and
other assorted LIARS that publish at the Wall Street Journal,
the above article tells the truth. Don't believe the mendacious
propaganda that Germany is INCREASING their use of coal.
HTML http://www.u.arizona.edu/~patricia/cute-collection/smileys/lying-smiley.gif<br
/>That is EXACTLY OPPOSITE of what is happening. >:(
THIS is the TRUTH:
[img width=640
height=580]
HTML http://cleantechnica.com/files/2014/08/Screenshot-2014-08-08-11.43.06-570x354.png[/img]
Shove the above graph in the face of any LIAR that claims
Germany is using more coal and ask them if they are standing on
their head when they read it!
And the liars writing these lies are doing it because Germany is
teaching the world that a highly industrialized nation CAN
transition quickly to 100% Renewable Energy.
This drives the profit over people and planet fossil fuelers
into a frenzy. Pay close attention to what you read. The fossil
fuel industry has a lot of media presstitutes on the payroll.
BUT, people are realizing that they have been taken for a
pollution for profit ride and it's PAYBACK TIME.
Renewable energy=
HTML http://www.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-301014181553.gif<br
/> [img width=60
height=40]
HTML http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-scared002.gif[/img]=Fossil<br
/>Fuelers
[center] [img width=100
height=100]
HTML http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-forum/popcorn.gif[/img][/center]
#Post#: 2602--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Picture of Renewable Energy Growth
By: AGelbert Date: January 26, 2015, 5:42 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[b]Nature & Transmission Lines[/b]
Siting transmission lines is a double-edged sword. They are
necessary for scaling renewable energy, but they sure are ugly
and too often clear cut huge swaths of land, fragmenting forests
and habitats, while emanating electromagnetic fields that can
cause serious illnesses.
Yet, these days any place that's left undeveloped can be an
important haven for wildlife. Open land under transmission lines
could protect 9 million acres and the land under which pipelines
flow, another 12 million acres. Since these projects run
hundreds (even thousands) of miles, they could create a network
of conservation areas about a third the size of our national
park system. They could provide crucial wildlife corridors that
allow long migrations and a healthier gene pool where small,
segmented populations of the same species can find each other.
Nonprofits are also working with transportation departments to
plant wildflowers in medians and along the sides of roads,
another 5 million acres that can sequester carbon while aiding
wildlife.
For example, open, scrubby habitat under power lines provides
habitat for endangered butterflies[img width=50
height=50]
HTML http://dl5.glitter-graphics.net/pub/3328/3328805eipbi6o30e.gif[/img]<br
/>and is the best place to find native bees
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/170fs799081.gif,
Sam Droege of
the US Geological Survey's Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
told Yale 360.
Transmission Conservation
A group has formed to make it happen - the Right of Way
Stewardship Council that's setting standards and certifying
these lands. Three utilities - NY Power Authority, Vermont
Electric and Arizona Public Service are certified and three more
are seeking certification. Utilities in Brazil and Australia
are also showing interest.
"You're surrounded by evergreen closed-canopy forest and then
there's this explosion of color, this linear streak of color,
and it's all wildflowers," describes ecologist Kimberly Russell
to Yale 360.
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/earthhug.gif
Read the full article:
Website:
HTML http://e360.yale.edu/feature/electric_power_rights_of_way_a_new_frontier_for_conservation/2816/
#Post#: 2604--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Picture of Renewable Energy Growth
By: AGelbert Date: January 26, 2015, 6:59 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
01/26/2015 12:19 PM
Renewable Energy Transmission Backbone Takes Shape Across US,
Europe
SustainableBusiness.com News
The US and Europe are making major investments in transmission
infrastructure that will finally create a renewable energy
backbone - driving billions of dollars in new projects and
bringing clean energy to much more of the population.
In the US, approved and newly completed transmission lines
make it possible for another 35 gigawatts (GW) of renewable
energy projects - mostly wind - [b]bringing clean energy
throughout the Midwest and to Southern and Eastern states.
[/b]
Just approved is the SunZia Project. At a cost of $2 billion,
two parallel 500-kilovolt transmission lines will traverse 515
miles of federal, state and private lands in New Mexico and
Arizona. It will enable construction of 3 GW of wind and solar
resources that couldn't otherwise gain access to the grid,
enough for 1 million homes. It will create about 6000
construction jobs and potentially 40,000 jobs in new renewable
energy projects.
SunZia will run parallel with existing roads and power lines,
avoiding major population centers and sensitive areas. The
Bureau of Land Management held 28 public meetings on the project
since 2009, along with working with local, state and federal
agencies and Indian tribes.
"New Mexico could lead the nation in wind and solar energy
production, and transmission is the key to unleashing our clean
energy potential," says Senator Tom Udall (D-NM).
In 2013, The 990-mile Gateway West Transmission Project was
approved, which will be able to carry 1.5 GW of wind energy from
southern Wyoming and Utah to Idaho and Washington State.
Eventually it extend 2000 miles with the ability to carry 4.5 GW
across western states.
[img width=640
height=380]
HTML http://www.boiseweekly.com/imager/new-headline/b/original/3013009/a5b6/2013_0426__GW_web_map.jpg[/img]
Transmission Line Gateway West
A $6.8 billion transmission project in Texas is carrying wind
energy to all the state's cities - spanning 3600 miles, it can
carry as much as 18.5 GW. Minnesota is finishing off an
800-mile upgrade this year
In October, the Prairie Wind Transmission line began carrying
electricity over 108 miles in Kansas, a linchpin of the
"electric superhighway" being built through the windiest areas
in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas and population centers.
At a cost of $4 billion, it will allow another 3 GW of wind to
connect to the grid in High Plains states.
In the Oklahoma panhandle, the 700-mile, 3.5 GW Plains & Eastern
Clean Line will deliver wind power to Arkansas, Tennessee, and
other states in the Mid-South and Southeast. It will enable more
than $6 billion in new wind farms when it opens in 2018.
The Rock Island Clean Line is waiting for approval to bring wind
energy from western Iowa to eastern states through Illinois. The
$2 billion, 500 mile transmission line would open another 3.5 GW
- $7 billion in new wind projects.
Many of these are being built by Clean Line Energy Partners
which offers annual payments to landowners who agree to host the
lines.
[img width=70
height=60]
HTML http://elqahera-trading.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/dollar-sign-thumbnail1.jpg[/img]<br
/>
If the wind industry keeps up the pace, it can provide 30% of US
electricity by 2030, more than enough to meet the EPA's Clean
Power Plan and a third of the greenhouse gas reductions
President Obama committed to in its agreement with China, says
Environment America.
Unfortunately, the Republican majority in Congress will probably
not allow the industry to receive any further tax credits to
make sure it happens.
Read our articles, Landmark Ruling Opens Grid to Renewable
Energy and 100% Renewable Energy Indeed Possible, say Stanford
U. Researchers.
Europe Too
HTML http://www.freesmileys.org/emoticons/emoticon-object-062.gif
In Europe, a planned supergrid will integrate renewable energy
across all 28 countries, increasing reliability and lessening
dependence on gas imports.
HTML http://www.runemasterstudios.com/graemlins/images/2thumbs.gif
"Connecting Europe" will spend $7.5 billion through 2020 in
cost-shared grants. Some funds will be used to build LNG plants
that enable natural gas imports from countries other than
Russia, but most will be used to carry renewable energy between
countries, including hydro, offshore wind and tidal energy. One
project is the longest under-sea cable in the world between the
UK and Norway. :o ;D
Surpluses in one country will be sent to others that need power,
making the grid much more efficient. Originally, the supergrid
was also supposed to carry geothermal electricity from Iceland
and the enormous Desertec Project in the Sahara Desert, but
these have been tabled for now. :(
Worldwide, the onshore wind market should reach $898 billion by
2020, up from $89 billion in 2013, according to Transparency
Market Research.
Full article:
HTML http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/26119
#Post#: 2607--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Picture of Renewable Energy Growth
By: AGelbert Date: January 26, 2015, 10:28 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
01/26/2015 04:17 PM
Homeowners: Don't Consider Solar a Luxury, Renewables Hit Parity
in Many Countries
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/za4.gif
SustainableBusiness.com News
Renewable energy costs the same or less than fossil fuels in
most US states and in many parts of the world - very impressive
for such a young industry.
42 of 50 Cities in US
In the US, solar is the more economical choice in 42 of the 50
largest cities, according to Going Solar in America, by the
North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center. Even fully
financing a solar system (at 5% interest) costs homeowners less
over its life than buying electricity from the local utility.
Because of high electricity prices, installing solar is
cheapest in NYC and Boston, followed by:
Albuquerque, NM
San Jose, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Washington DC
Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA
Oakland, CA
San Francisco
But even people in states with moderate utility rates like
North Carolina benefit because mid-Atlantic and southern states
have the lowest installation costs.
Americans should no longer consider buying a solar system as a
luxury, they say, but it does depend on the amount of sun and
policies like the 30% federal tax credit and net-metering in the
states. Over the 25 years of the solar systems people buy today,
utilities are expected to increase electric rates 83%.
If the federal Investment Tax Credit stays in place, solar will
cost the same or less than utility prices in 47 states by 2016,
according to Deutsche Bank. If Congress allows it to fall to
10%, solar will have price parity in 36 states.
Importantly, solar costs would drop a lot more if more people
understood what a great deal it is. That's because up to 64% of
the cost is now "soft" customer acquisition costs, says the
North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center.
Read our article, Solar Has Another 'Best Year Ever' in 2014.
Home Buyers Pay More for Solar
Home buyers consistently pay about $15,000 more for homes with
solar - a typical 3.6 kilowatt PV system - showing that it is
increasingly viewed as a key asset that maintains home value in
addition to lowering electricity costs.
Researchers at Lawrence Berkley Lab led a team that analyzed
22,000 home sales in eight states from 2002-2013 - 4,000 of
which have solar. Homes ranged in price from $200,000-$900,000.
Solar gives a home "green cachet" they conclude, because the
price premium doesn't vary much based on the size of the solar
system. Newer solar systems get double the premium than those
eight years or older.
The major point is "if you install solar and then sell your
house, you should be able to get a significant portion of your
money back. That's something we couldn't say with as much
confidence before," says Ben Hoen, lead researcher. New home
builders should take notice as well as those that are
considering selling their house in the near term. Also, the real
estate industry needs to include this when they appraise homes.
Renewables Worldwide
Onshore wind, geothermal, biomass and hydropower cost the same
or less than coal, oil and gas-fired power stations, even
without financial support and despite falling oil prices, says
IRENA in Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2014. Solar PV
leads the cost decline - modules cost 75% less since the end of
2009 and 50% less for utility-scale solar PV since 2010.
This chart shows the growth of solar as prices come down,
2000-2014 (at link
HTML http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/26120)
Solar Costs Worldwide 2014
•Onshore wind consistently provides electricity at $0.05 per
kilowatt-hour (kWh) without subsidies in Europe and elsewhere,
compared to $0.045 to 0.14/kWh for fossil fuel power plants.
•Wind energy costs $0.06/kWh in Asia, $0.07 in North America and
$0.09 in Africa.
•Residential solar PV systems cost some 70% less than in 2008
•Total costs for utility-scale solar PV dropped 65% since 2010,
with the most competitive projects delivering electricity for
$0.08/kWh without subsidies.
•When damage to human health from fossil fuels is factored in,
along with the cost of carbon emissions, the price of fossil
fuel-fired power generation rises to $0.07-$0.19/kWh.
These costs, however, vary widely based on resources and
availability of financing.
"Now is the time for a step-change in deployment for
renewables," says Adnan Amin, Director-General of IRENA. "It has
never been cheaper to avoid dangerous climate change, create
jobs, reduce fuel import bills and future-proof our energy
system with renewables. This requires public acknowledgement of
the low price of renewables, an end to subsidies for fossil
fuels, and regulations and infrastructure to support the global
energy transition."
HTML http://www.freesmileys.org/emoticons/emoticon-object-062.gif
Read our article, Global Solar Hits Parity Next Year, No
Subsidies Needed.
HTML http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/26120
#Post#: 2640--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Big Picture of Renewable Energy Growth
By: AGelbert Date: February 4, 2015, 11:56 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Solar Is Creating Jobs Nearly 20 Times Faster Than Overall U.S.
Economy
Anastasia Pantsios | January 15, 2015 9:56 am
All those senators
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/gen152.gif<br
/>currently debating in Washington D.C., calling the Keystone XL
pipeline approval bill an urgent “jobs creation bill,” are
looking for jobs in all the wrong places.
Solar installation alone added more jobs in 2014 than both the
oil and natural gas sectors—jobs that can’t be outsourced. Photo
credit: The Solar Project
They should be perusing the National Solar Jobs Census 2014, the
fifth annual such report compiled by the nonprofit Solar
Foundation. What they’d find there puts the pipeline project to
shame. Despite attacks on clean, renewable energy around the
country, creating uncertainty in the sector, job creation grew
dramatically. It outperformed the slowly improving U.S. economy,
creating jobs at nearly 20 times the rate of the overall
economy.
Last year, jobs in solar increased by 21.8 percent, adding up to
31,000 new jobs in 2014 and bringing the total number of
solar-related jobs in the U.S. to 173,800. That’s an increase of
86 percent since 2010. The vast majority—approximately 157,500—
work 100 percent on solar activities.
“The solar industry has once again proven to be a powerful
engine of economic growth and job creation,” said The Solar
Foundation’s president and executive director Andrea Luecke.
“Our Census findings show that one out of every 78 new jobs
created in the U.S. over the past 12 months was created by the
solar industry—nearly 1.3 percent of all jobs. It also shows for
the fifth consecutive year, the solar industry is attracting
highly skilled, well-paid professionals. That growth is putting
people back to work and strengthening our nation’s economy.”
And despite attacks in states like Ohio, which froze its
renewable energy standards last June and is talking about
permanently eliminating them, The Solar Foundation projects that
growth will continue. Its employer survey, which collected data
from more than 7,600 U.S. businesses, found that the next year
solar is likely to see a similar increase of almost 21 percent,
bringing the total number of workers in the industry to 210,060.
“Demand for clean renewable power is growing,” said Robert
Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor and Professor of Public
Policy at the University of California at Berkeley. “Solar
exists at the critical intersection between energy, the economy
and the environment. As the nation’s fastest growing energy
source, solar is adding thousands of new jobs each year. Its
growth will almost surely continue to be robust in coming
years.”
The survey also found that installation remains the largest
source of domestic solar employment growth, more than doubling
since 2010 and that those workers are more and more diverse,
with more African-Americans, Hispanics, women and veterans than
in the 2013 report. Solar installation jobs have already blown
past employment in the shrinking coal industry, which is now
down to only 93,185 jobs. And while the oil and gas pipeline
construction and extraction added 19,217 jobs in 2014, the solar
installation sector created almost 50 percent more jobs.
Those jobs are that can’t be outsourced, won’t disappear in two
years like the Keystone XL construction jobs and don’t come with
negative health impacts or harmful impacts on the environment.
“The tremendous growth in the solar industry last year is
further evidence that we can clean our air and cut climate
pollution while also growing the economy,” said former New York
City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “The more data we have about the
renewable energy industry, the better positioned policymakers
and investors will be to make informed decisions. The Solar Jobs
Census has the potential to help make that possible.”
And with jobs in the wind sector increasing rapidly as well,
supporting fossil fuel industries at the expense of renewables
seems like bad economic as well as bad environmental policy.
“Americans want greater clean energy deployment, and
conventional electricity generation is among the largest sources
of air and water pollution in the U.S.,” said Lyndon Rive, CEO
of Solar City, the largest solar employer in the U.S. “As the
Census underscores, solar is providing a tremendous boost to our
economy while meeting public demand for choice, competition and
cleaner, more affordable energy.”
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/earthhug.gif
HTML http://ecowatch.com/2015/01/15/solar-industry-jobs/
*****************************************************
DIR Previous Page
DIR Next Page