Green Energy Revolution Megathread

[Admiral Yi]

There are only 29 coal fired generators left in the US?  That can't be right.

[frunk]

There are only 29 coal fired generators left in the US?  That can't be right.

It's the number at a given carbon price per ton.  I'm not sure exactly why that means these particular plants are notable over others.

[Valmy]

There are only 29 coal fired generators left in the US?  That can't be right.

Pretty sure that is showing new plants coming online. So 46 have retired, 40 are in the process of retiring, and only 29 are coming online in the future for an overall loss. If this price was put into effect.

[Valmy]

There are only 29 coal fired generators left in the US?  That can't be right.

It's the number at a given carbon price per ton.  I'm not sure exactly why that means these particular plants are notable over others.

It is showing how many would be built under those economic conditions.

[frunk]

It is showing how many would be built under those conditions.

From the article:

CoalMap is an online tool that allows users explore the potential effects of various market factors on the cost-competitiveness of coal versus renewable energy. Here, the variable being tested is a carbon price, set to $50/ ton. The map shows the number of coal plants (red dots), wind farms (green dots), and solar photovoltaic plants (yellow dots) that could exist in the market at this price point. Gray dots represent coal plants in the process of retiring, and black dots represent those that have already retired

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-06-coal-decline-renewables.html#jCp

I think it's actually currently existing plants that could stay in business if they had to pay the $50/ton carbon tax.

[Valmy]

So the Gray and Black dots represent what has already happened?

Because we have coal plants in Texas, I have visited and inspected a few, and this map would suggest they are neither going to be existing or retired if we have a carbon price at $50/ton

[frunk]

So the Gray and Black dots represent what has already happened?

Because we have coal plants in Texas, I have visited and inspected a few, and this map would suggest they are neither going to be existing or retired if we have a carbon price at $50/ton

Grey and black are what has already happened, all the other dots are the plants that would stay in business given the carbon tax.  All other plants are completely ignored.  All nuclear and hydro are also ignored.

[Valmy]

Grey and black is what has already happened, all the other dots are the plants that would stay in business given the carbon tax.  All other plants are completely ignored.

Well that isn't confusing at all. All of California's coal plants are going away and absolutely no PV or wind is going to be built to replace it eh?

[frunk]

Well that isn't confusing at all. All of California's coal plants are going away and absolutely no PV or wind is going to be built to replace it eh?

It's a horribly confusing map, so, maybe?  I dunno what the hell happened with the west coast.

[Admiral Yi]

Map sucks.

[The Larch]

US, Canada and Mexico pledge 50% of power from clean energy by 2025
Barack Obama, Justin Trudeau and Enrique Peña Nieto to announce new 'aggressive but achievable' goal at 'Three Amigos' summit in Ottawa

Barack Obama, Justin Trudeau and Enrique Peña Nieto will commit to a new regional clean power goal at a summit this week in Ottawa, the White House has said.

The leaders of the US, Canada and Mexico, meeting on Wednesday at the so-called "Three Amigos" summit, will pledge to have their countries produce 50% of their power by 2025 from hydropower, wind, solar and nuclear plants, carbon capture and storage, as well as from energy efficiency measures.

"We believe this is an aggressive goal, but for all three countries, one that we believe is achievable, continent-wide," said Brian Deese, a senior adviser to Obama.

It is a jump from the current collective clean power levels of about 37% and will require the most work from the United States, which produces about 75% of the countries' power.

About a third of US power now comes from clean energy sources.

Curbing climate-changing carbon emissions has been a priority for Obama as the end of his second and final term in office draws closer.

But his new regulations on coal-fired power plants – the main US tool to reach emissions targets pledged at UN climate talks in Paris in December 2015 – were put on hold by the US supreme court earlier this year.

The White House believes its Clean Power Plan rules will ultimately survive the challenge. The rules, along with tax credits for renewable power plants, would help the United States do its share to reach the North American goal, Deese said.

He said it would not be necessary for the United States itself to hit the 50% mark to achieve the regional target.

Mexico produced less than 20% of its power from clean energy, Deese said, noting officials there had already pledged to reach 35% by 2024.

Canada produces 81% of its electricity from hydroelectric, solar, wind and nuclear power generation, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp, which first reported the North American deal on Monday.

At the Wednesday summit the leaders also would announce new agreements to make it easier and cheaper to trade and transmit clean energy across the continent, Deese said.

Mexico would will join a pledge made earlier this year by Obama and Trudeau to reduce methane emissions by 40% to 45% by 2015, he said.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/28/us-canada-and-mexico-pledge-50-of-power-from-clean-energy-by-2025

[Admiral Yi]

Not sure how carbon capture generates electricity.  I guess that means fossil fuel generation that gets offset.

[jimmy olsen]

I had no idea it was already so high. Wow

About a third of US power now comes from clean energy sources.

[Richard Hakluyt]

More like 13% :

https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=427&t=3


Oh, I see, they are counting nuclear as clean............fair enough.

[mongers]

Map sucks.

Yeah, something we can all get behind.