Record Cost Reductions in US Solar Power Spurs Growth, in Green Jobs Too

[kytwell 179]

Solar power is the way to go. The sun will be the only thing left after we destroy the rest of the earth, then it will fry the remnants like a Cajun making blackened redfish in a red hot iron skillet. All joking aside, I am all for solar power. With US made solar panels.

I agree. Solar should be a greater part of our overall portfolio of renewable energy sources along with: wind, water and trash to some extent. These with some nuclear mixed in as well as the fossil fuels. I would like that if over the next few years we could get the renewable's at @50-50 with the fossil fuels and as we see their(renewable) long term feasibility results start to play out, we can make decisions on which to invest in more heavily and slowly phase out our reliance on fossil fuels. Right now though there is no viable alternatives, so we need some type of catalyst to kick start us on our way to being less reliant on the price fluctuations of fossil fuels.

Edited September 17, 2011 by kytwell

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I agree. Solar should be a greater part of our overall portfolio of renewable energy sources along with: wind, water and trash to some extent. These with some nuclear mixed in as well as the fossil fuels. I would like that if over the next few years we could get the renewable's at @50-50 with the fossil fuels and as we see their(renewable) long term feasibility results start to play out, we can make decisions on which to invest in more heavily and slowly phase out our reliance on fossil fuels. Right now though there is no viable alternatives, so we need some type of catalyst to kick start us on our way to being less reliant on the price fluctuations of fossil fuels.

Cool. A world with power only when the sun shines, or the wind blows.

[kytwell 179]

Cool. A world with power only when the sun shines, or the wind blows.

Maybe you should read again. I also included trash, water, nuclear so that we were less reliant on fossil fuels. It's considered a comprehensive balanced approach. Rather than the majority as fossil fuel, like it is now.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Maybe you should read again. I also included trash, water, nuclear so that we were less reliant on fossil fuels. It's considered a comprehensive balanced approach. Rather than the majority as fossil fuel, like it is now.

You can take hydro and nuke out the mix, since no new plants can be built in the US.

[kytwell 179]

You can take hydro and nuke out the mix, since no new plants can be built in the US.

Eh, are you certain? Here are two hydro plants from within the past 6 months. So half correct there is no nuclear yet, but they're coming read on...

Renewable Energy on the River

Over the Fourth of July weekend while I was in Ohio for a family get-together I had the thrill of seeing a barge of wind turbine towers being towed up the Ohio River at Ripley, OH. Where they came from and where they went remains a mystery to me.

About 200 miles up-river from Ripley, construction has begun on a new hydroelectric power plant in St. Marys, WV. Previously I was under the impression that we had seen the last of new hydroelectric facilities in the U.S. Most of the good sites for hydro plants have been taken. Under current environmental and seismic regulations most of the hydroelectric dams constructed in the last century could not be built today. Environmental groups have opposed hydroelectric projects that put new dams on bodies of water. However, 350MW of new “run-of-the-river” hydroelectric generation plants will be built on the Ohio River to harness the energy of water flowing over existing dams. Since no new dams or reservoirs are required the usual impediments to project development are side-stepped.

http://www.glennmosier.com/2011/07/1256/

New Mexico's Abiquiu hydropower project completed with DOE help

Washington, D.C., April 25, 2011 — U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu issued the following statement on the completion and startup of the Abiquiu Hydropower Project in New Mexico — the first hydropower project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to be completed nationwide.

The project received a $4.5 million Recovery Act grant from the Department of Energy's Wind and Water Power Program, which was leveraged with $4.5 million from the private sector to fully fund the project.

The low-flow turbine will increase renewable energy generation capacity by 22 percent at the Abiquiu facility — from 13.8 MW to 16.8 MW. The new turbine will produce enough energy to power 1,100 homes annually and will supply clean energy to Los Alamos County, including DOE's Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Hydropower projects at both new and existing facilities will play an important role in meeting President Barack Obama's goal of generating 80 percent of America's electricity from clean energy sources by 2035.

At today's commissioning ceremony, representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy joined New Mexico Senator Tom Udall and Los Alamos County officials to celebrate the unveiling of the 3 MW turbine-generator, which was installed by the Los Alamos County Department of Public Utilities at the Abiquiu Hydroelectric Facility on the Rio Chama River in New Mexico.

DOE's Wind and Water Power Program works to improve the performance, lower the costs, and accelerate the deployment of innovative wind and water power technologies. Greater use of the nation's abundant wind and water resources for electric power generation will help stabilize energy costs, enhance energy security, and improve our environment.

http://www.elp.com/index/display/article-display/0022632405/articles/electric-light-power/renewable-energy/hydro/2011/04/New_Mexico_s_Abiquiu_hydropower_project_completed_with_DOE_help.html

In the USA there are proposals for over twenty new reactors and 12 combined construction and operating licence applications for these are under review. All are for late third-generation plants, and a further proposal is for two ABWR units. it is expected that some of the new reactors will be on line by 2020.

http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf17.html

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Interesting. They have been shutting down hydro in California over the last decade, and limiting the water diverted to power hydro in dry months along the west coast. Even farmers were having a hard time getting water in central California.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

[Ban Hammer 13,692]

timber!