Green Energy Revolution Megathread

[Valmy]

Elon Musk molests dogs

I envy those dogs.

[CountDeMoney]

Fuck you people and your stupid ass batteries.

[Eddie Teach]

Elon Musk molests dogs

I envy those dogs.

Freaky.

[crazy canuck]

Some good news on the development of battery technology and role it will play in remaking the electrical grid.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/batteries-canada-technology-1.4455998

Yeah this is the big break through just a few years away.

If you read the article - the batteries are being used now to build new infrastructure.

It was a big break through just a few years away a few years ago 

[The Minsky Moment]

Germany's war on coal is over and Germany won

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2017/12/germanys-war-on-coal-is-over-coal-lost/#

Now only Christmas is left to conquer!

[crazy canuck]

Fuck you people and your stupid ass batteries.

You are right, coal is still where its at.

TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP

[CountDeMoney]

Fuck you people and your stupid ass batteries.

You are right, coal is still where its at.

TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP

Right.  Instead of drilling for fossil fuels, let's drill for rare precious metals.  Brilliant trade off.

[Valmy]

Right.  Instead of drilling for fossil fuels, let's drill for rare precious metals.  Brilliant trade off.

Well I don't think technology for batteries has reached its final form but even then at least they can be re-used.

[Valmy]

If you read the article - the batteries are being used now to build new infrastructure.

It was a big break through just a few years away a few years ago 

The break through is in their widespread utilization as a generation source.

It even says so in your article: "I think it's going to be really interesting to see where the world is going to be in 10 or 15 years."

[jimmy olsen]

Fuck you people and your stupid ass batteries.

You are right, coal is still where its at.

TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP

Right.  Instead of drilling for fossil fuels, let's drill for rare precious metals.  Brilliant trade off.

Mine the asteroids.

Now you see how all encompassing Musk's business plan is. Construct a solar energy grid and electric car fleet reliant on batteries with Tesla that he supplies the raw materials for with Space X.

[HVC]

Fuck you people and your stupid ass batteries.

You are right, coal is still where its at.

TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP

Right.  Instead of drilling for fossil fuels, let's drill for rare precious metals.  Brilliant trade off.

Mine the asteroids.

Now you see how all encompassing Musk's business plan is. Construct a solar energy grid and electric car fleet reliant on batteries with Tesla that he supplies the raw materials for with Space X.

You make me so irrationally angry.

[Eddie Teach]

Musk may be a visionary or he may be a nut. You can't really blame Tim though.

[grumbler]

Musk may be a visionary or he may be a nut. You can't really blame Tim though.

HVC did say he was irrationally angry, so he needs no reason to blame Tim.  That's pretty much what irrational means.

[Maximus]

Musk may be a visionary or he may be a nut. You can't really blame Tim though.

Why not all three?

[jimmy olsen]

Good.

https://electrek.co/2018/01/12/94-percent-new-electricity-capacity-usa-from-renewables/

In 2017, the United States built about 28.5GW of electricity generating infrastructure – 25GW of it utility-scale and about 3.5GW of distributed (<1MW) solar power. Wind and solar were 55.4% of the 28.5GW overall total, and about 49.2% of the utility-scale total (>1MW).

When subtracting the 11.8GW of utility-scale fossil retirements tracked by the EIA, the net new volume of US generation was 16.7GW of generating capacity, with 94.7% of that coming from renewables.

Along with this positive news, are projections that in 2017 the USA lowered its total CO2 emissions by approximately 1% versus 2016's total. This number is lesser than the years from 2005-2016 when we saw emissions fall an average of 1.6%.

The EIA measures all solar power generation capacity in AC values.

Emissions are currently projected by the EIA to increase in 2018.

Specifically focused on utility-scale new generating capacity – renewables totaled 12,321MW of 25,041MW of that new capacity. 6,759MW of the renewables being wind and 5,170MWAC of that solar, with 392MW of 'other renewables.' Those totals made renewables 49.2% of new utility-scale electricity generating capacity.

In 2016, an amazing year for clean energy construction in the country, the US installed about 27GW of utility-scale capacity. 62% of that was renewables – 16.7GW. 7.8GW from wind and 7.7GW of solar power were built. The utility-scale renewable volume in 2016 was 35% higher than in 2017. 2016 was a record year for utility-scale solar power installations.

With this net capacity being heavily pushed toward renewables – 16GW+ worth – it seemingly extends the USA's net new electricity capacity being mostly renewables all the way back into 2003. In both 2016 and 2017, net fossil fuels were about zero on the utility-scale.

For the month of March, 21% of utility-scale electricity came from renewables. A heavy snow pack melting on the west coast driving hydroelectricity, plus an annual wind production peak in March led this value.

In the same month, wind plus solar electricity – for the first time – broke 10% of US electricity usage.

When the eclipse hit on August 21st, California solar power output fell by 60% from its normal production.

Of importance – these are total "capacities" built – not electricity generation. Solar and wind are run for much less per year than new gas plants. For example, the average solar "capacity factor" – % of time running – for new solar power is probably around 20-25%, wind probably around 40-43% and gas 55-60%.

Electrek's Take
First off, this report isn't perfect – solar power and wind are both down from their 2016 numbers. 2016 saw approximately 14.5GWDC of solar power installed. In 2017 – with residential and utility-scale down, we'll probably see the US break 11GW of solar power – but not much further.

On the other hand, when accounting for hardware dying off (mostly coal) – the USA hasn't really built new fossil fuels since really close to the turn of the millennia. We're down another 1% in 2017 emissions – from a 13% drop between 2015-2016 – so some progress made. We're still adding a lot of CO2 to the atmosphere though...so its kinda like destroying our home 1% less than the immense amount of destruction last year.

2018 for solar power is a cloudy prediction still – as we don't know how Suniva will come out – but January 26th is getting closer and closer.