Alan Stainer

Tech head through and through.

Even Trump can’t dismiss the success of renewables

by

Even Trump can’t dismiss the success of renewables

The article isn’t all about Trump. It talks about Brexit, India and China too. However, this bit really does sum things up nicely.

“The word ‘renewable’ doesn’t feature in Trump’s America First plan – but it is full of talk of exploiting the country’s natural resources, delivering low-cost energy and creating jobs. Well, wind and solar can do all that.”

The truth of the matter is that renewable energy isn’t just cleaner, it is cheaper in the long run and provides a lot of jobs. Compare that to a dwindling fossil fuel industry with finite resources and public opinion swinging heavily towards a cleaner future and the future doesn’t really look that great for fossil fuels.

It’s a bit like the comparison between old combustion engine cars and fully electric cars. Once you have driven an electric car you realise that it is a better technology, you look at that old stinky combustion engine and think, “Why the hell are we still driving these?”

https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/feb/07/even-trump-cant-dismiss-the-success-of-renewables?CMP=share_btn_gp

Reader Interactions

Comments

  11. Wayne R says

    Success might be a over statement,if anybody thinks we are gonna power our society with wind they are mistaken,

  12. Wayne R says

    Success might be a over statement,if anybody thinks we are gonna power our society with wind they are mistaken,

  19. john palmer says

    If trump had the competence of a rolly-polly you would not have to tell him but as it stands we know he isn’t educated

  20. john palmer says

    If trump had the competence of a rolly-polly you would not have to tell him but as it stands we know he isn’t educated

  21. Per Siden says

    Wayne R hardly wind alone (although some countries and states with really good conditions for wind power might very well end up close to), but fuel-free energy.

  22. Per Siden says

    Wayne R hardly wind alone (although some countries and states with really good conditions for wind power might very well end up close to), but fuel-free energy.

  29. Alan Stainer says

    Julian Bond Nuclear may be low carbon, but it comes with it’s own problems. It isn’t renewable, in that there is a finite amount of material they can use and it’s rare. It has disastrous consequences if anything goes wrong. Plus it is really expensive. Building a nuclear power station is not cheap. Decommissioning one is expensive. Handling the nuclear waste is problematic and expensive. In short, nuclear is going to go the way of the fossil fuel industry as it gets priced out of the market.

  30. Alan Stainer says

    Julian Bond Nuclear may be low carbon, but it comes with it’s own problems. It isn’t renewable, in that there is a finite amount of material they can use and it’s rare. It has disastrous consequences if anything goes wrong. Plus it is really expensive. Building a nuclear power station is not cheap. Decommissioning one is expensive. Handling the nuclear waste is problematic and expensive. In short, nuclear is going to go the way of the fossil fuel industry as it gets priced out of the market.

  37. Per Siden says

    Wayne R no such thing? You mean wind will not be part of the energy mix? Well I’m afraid it already is.

    In five or ten years solar PV may overtake wind as the cheapest source of energy but right now wind is currently the cheapest new energy source to add in terms of LCOE it’s share of the energy mix is increasing every year.

    Nuclear is not fuel free, but you are right in the sense that the huge cost for nuclear is not fuel but capital. That means a nuclear power plant project that starts today (and is grid connected in ten or fifteen years time) will have to operate at 100% capacity 24/7 for 60 or 70 years just to cover the capital costs. Unless of course wholesale energy prices go down over time as expected to, because then the plant will never ever break even. That’s why we are not likely to see many new nuclear reactors commissioned from now on, but rather a decline in the share of nuclear power.

    Coal is cheaper than oil, but there are few oil condenser plants left except for backup purposes anyway. Gas power plants are more cost-effective than coal and can be ramped up and down by demand much faster too. Fuel-free electricity from wind, solar and hydro are pushing wholesale electricity prices down, which makes coal less and less competitive. I doubt we’ll see more than a few new coal plants being built, and most existing coal plants will be phased out over the next couple of decades.

    In the US, the coal producing states does not consume enough electricity of their own to sustain their coal industry, and as other states are rapidly moving away from coal, the coal industry will hit a breaking point and die off even faster. Exporting more coal might be able to offset some of the loss in the short term, but the biggest importer of American coal – Germany, India and China – all have coal of their own and are already in the process of reducing their use of coal in favor of cheaper and cleaner energy production.

  38. Per Siden says

    Wayne R no such thing? You mean wind will not be part of the energy mix? Well I’m afraid it already is.

    In five or ten years solar PV may overtake wind as the cheapest source of energy but right now wind is currently the cheapest new energy source to add in terms of LCOE it’s share of the energy mix is increasing every year.

    Nuclear is not fuel free, but you are right in the sense that the huge cost for nuclear is not fuel but capital. That means a nuclear power plant project that starts today (and is grid connected in ten or fifteen years time) will have to operate at 100% capacity 24/7 for 60 or 70 years just to cover the capital costs. Unless of course wholesale energy prices go down over time as expected to, because then the plant will never ever break even. That’s why we are not likely to see many new nuclear reactors commissioned from now on, but rather a decline in the share of nuclear power.

    Coal is cheaper than oil, but there are few oil condenser plants left except for backup purposes anyway. Gas power plants are more cost-effective than coal and can be ramped up and down by demand much faster too. Fuel-free electricity from wind, solar and hydro are pushing wholesale electricity prices down, which makes coal less and less competitive. I doubt we’ll see more than a few new coal plants being built, and most existing coal plants will be phased out over the next couple of decades.

    In the US, the coal producing states does not consume enough electricity of their own to sustain their coal industry, and as other states are rapidly moving away from coal, the coal industry will hit a breaking point and die off even faster. Exporting more coal might be able to offset some of the loss in the short term, but the biggest importer of American coal – Germany, India and China – all have coal of their own and are already in the process of reducing their use of coal in favor of cheaper and cleaner energy production.

  39. Wayne R says

    Brad S did you create your fake profile just to rant? You Loser scumbag ,thank god people like you are on the burning dumpster fire of history and life, create another fake prison library profile because no1 cares about you

  40. Wayne R says

    Brad S did you create your fake profile just to rant? You Loser scumbag ,thank god people like you are on the burning dumpster fire of history and life, create another fake prison library profile because no1 cares about you

  41. Wayne R says

    Even windmills need OIL , and kill birds by the thousand yearly,look it up for yourselves if you are not AWARE

  42. Wayne R says

    Even windmills need OIL , and kill birds by the thousand yearly,look it up for yourselves if you are not AWARE

  43. Wayne R says

    Per Siden​ wind will never replace petroleum and nuclear,I never said wind couldn’t provide a fraction of our needs,,,

  44. Wayne R says

    Per Siden​ wind will never replace petroleum and nuclear,I never said wind couldn’t provide a fraction of our needs,,,

  45. Alan Stainer says

    Wayne R you must be a seer to know the future with so much certainty and counter to what the evidence suggests. Personally I think you are wrong, but you are free to believe whatever you like.

  46. Alan Stainer says

    Wayne R you must be a seer to know the future with so much certainty and counter to what the evidence suggests. Personally I think you are wrong, but you are free to believe whatever you like.

  49. Wayne R says

    Alan Stainer​​​ fact is most of the world’s energy comes from clean coal and nuclear,wind just doesn’t cut it,so please explain why you think wind will ever supplant them as a reliable abundant source and how will the developing world ever get on board with green energy? Will spacex ever fuel a rocket with windmills?

  50. Wayne R says

    Alan Stainer​​​ fact is most of the world’s energy comes from clean coal and nuclear,wind just doesn’t cut it,so please explain why you think wind will ever supplant them as a reliable abundant source and how will the developing world ever get on board with green energy? Will spacex ever fuel a rocket with windmills?

  53. Wayne R says

    Alan Stainer​​ yes CLEAN COAL,in America smoke stacks are equipped with EMISSION CONVERTERS (just like automobiles) for at least 30years and what you see being emitted is 98% steam ,that’s why it looks white,like a cloud and not black,hence CLEAN COAL,also you may be interested to know that in America automobile emissions have been reduced 99% thru the use of exhaust converters also,not sure how it works where your from but America has exhaust figures out for quite a while,now back to my original question about wind power please,

  54. Wayne R says

    Alan Stainer​​ yes CLEAN COAL,in America smoke stacks are equipped with EMISSION CONVERTERS (just like automobiles) for at least 30years and what you see being emitted is 98% steam ,that’s why it looks white,like a cloud and not black,hence CLEAN COAL,also you may be interested to know that in America automobile emissions have been reduced 99% thru the use of exhaust converters also,not sure how it works where your from but America has exhaust figures out for quite a while,now back to my original question about wind power please,

  75. Filinto Rodrigues says

    Yes i am referring to turbines that work on low wind….there is a research

    project by a renewable energy company in europe…i think it is very

    important subject for renewables.

  76. Filinto Rodrigues says

    Yes i am referring to turbines that work on low wind….there is a research

    project by a renewable energy company in europe…i think it is very

    important subject for renewables.

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