Posted on 09/10/2018 8:18:50 AM PDT by reaganaut1
California Democrats pose as green saints, though their climate and social-justice values often conflict. The latest example is the legislatures plan to banish fossil fuels from the state electrical grid, which progressives aim to export nationwide.
Most states are enjoying flat or declining electricity rates thanks to shale fracking, which has sent natural gas prices plummeting. But not California, where rates have jumped 25% since 2013. Electricity prices in the Golden State are by far the highest in the continental western U.S. and twice as high as in Washington state.
The reason: California requires that 50% of power be generated from renewables such as solar and wind by 2030. Democrats recently passed legislation establishing a 100% requirement for 2045. Even Governor Jerry Brown ought to realize this energy experiment will punish Californians who cant afford to live in Marin or Malibu.
Renewable prices have dropped thanks to technological improvements and cheap Chinese solar panel imports. The wholesale price of solar energy with the 30% federal tax credit is now nearly comparable to fossil fuels. But renewables impose other costs.
Start with backup power, which is needed when the sun isnt shining. A 100% mandate would require natural gas plants that currently provide backup powermany recently constructedto be retired and replaced with enormous batteries. Customers will pay for the stranded plants and the batteries, which will have to be replaced periodically.
Even batteries probably wont capture all of the surplus solar energy pouring onto the grid on sunny days. So the state will have to find another outlet to avoid overloading the grid. In recent years California has paid Arizona to absorb its excess energy.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
IIRC, the solar Federal tax credit is about to expire.
“How will they get around in their limos, jets, & ferraris?”
That was my first thought - they going to shutdown the airports? How’s that going to work out for them?
The top 7 commercial airports in CA boarded almost 100 million passengers in 2016...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_busiest_airports_in_California
Bmk
Right LET them
And when they NEED energy or whatever... we’ll be too busy to care
In 1995 Texas the shift began from coal to natural gas and numerous coal plants were shut down or mothballed.
The first nat gas shortages hit the US in 2000 created problems in both California and Texas and that is what set off the first windmill boom in Texas. The first renewable standrds had been set in 1999 for 2009 but Texas achieved those standrds in 2004 and the lege set newer and higher renewable standards in spring of 2005 and Katrina in the fall of 2005 knocked out a lot of nat gas production and set off the second windmill boom in Texas.
While you are correct about the capital costs of power generating plants you are ignoring the fuel costs and renewables have no fuel costs, so generally fossil fuel has lower capital costs and higher fuel costs while renewable have higher capital costs and lower(none) fuel costs.
Cash flow is much better on renewables because it takes lot longer to get coal/nat gas permitted and 20 years for nukes
The other advantage is price stability. Renewbales can offer quotes out 20 years while the coal/nat gas don't know what costs will be in 90 days.
When they do that, FR may have to leave Fresno. Then we can laugh as CA sits shivering in the dark wondering what happened.
Do it! Then California can go back to being a desert and in a few years I’ll be able to afford a nice beach place in Malibu.
Go for it envirosocialists. Lets see how that works out.
Oh, we’ll care - for a price. :)
California is eradicating the middle class and becoming more visibly feudal in its caste system with the spectacularly wealthy in their palaces on the coast and the ragged peons occupying the rest of the state.
Total control. Everything not prohibited is mandatory,
Does anyone in the CA leadership have an IQ above 60 or not live in a pink unicorn fantasy land with rainbows everywhere?
Minnesota’s renewable standard is 25% by 2025. Eventually the state will raise it for 2035 and 2045.
Last April New Jersey raised their renewable standard to 35% by 2025 and 50% by 2030. California is the same, 50% by 2030.
New Jersey is already mostly powered by the gale force hot winds generated in the Statehouse at Trenton. Or so I’ve assumed.
That is not going to happen without massive investment in the power grid. It also isn’t going to happen with current battery tech and the energy loss in transfer on both charge side and drawing power out. Math isn’t your friend in these calculations.
How will they get around in their limos, jets, & ferraris?
Of course, the exceptions will be made for the elite nomenklatura since they are so much better than us.
Inability to produce on demand power is a damning negative.
You are ignoring the ability for renewables to replace current power generation. That is unless you are including liquid fluoride nuclear reactors, or some other nuclear power. Wind and solar? No, isn’t happening no matter how much you wish.
29 Cove Road would be great.
Anonymous people on the internet don't have much credibility
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