Study: Solar power could add 123,000 new jobs by 2020

Business Wire ^ | 7/3/2007 | Staff

[P-40]

Imagine you are sitting in the "hot seat" of the regional grid control center (as I have).

You must smoke a lot...and drink a lot of coffee. That is how I always picture grid operators. I remember the 'outages' we had here last April when it got hot beyond expectation at a time when it was normally cool and they had to 'shed' some areas to save the grid. People were pissed...and one representative had called in to a local talk show and had to listen to people gripe about what they did and did not do...in a decision they had 45 seconds to make...or the grid could have been down for some time.

[P-40]

But the opposition has no basis in reality, or at least real immediate concerns...

Welcome to the world of politics. Do you know I still hear from a friend of mine how it goes at Yucca Mountain...who lives in Perth? As in...Australia!

[weaponeer]

I finished “The Grid” on Sunday and have “Infrastucture” by Hayes open on my desk as I type. I have to agree that they are a couple of the best books I’ve ever read. I’m and old electrical engineer, and I learned a lot of things in those two very readable and entertaining books. Especially “Infrastructure.” It should be in every library.

[WOSG]

Speaking of Texas - notes on the nuclear expansions in Texas:
http://neinuclearnotes.blogspot.com/2007/07/looking-at-nrg-and-new-nuclear-in-texas.html

see also
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com/2007/07/texas-energy-future.html

[P-40]

I’m glad you have liked them. I have gotten some of the same responses back from the people I have suggested them to at the utility here in Austin. I mean.....the books sound dull...but they aren’t. Infrastructure was just absolutely amazing...and it was hard to believe that The Grid was written by a PhD in particle physics...and a playwright.

[weaponeer]

So you’re in Austin? I’m just up north a bit by Fort Hood. Are there any good alternate/renewable enrgy groups down there? Or RE themed stores? I get down there once a month or so.

[P-40]

Yup, we have some great new nuclear projects going in Texas...which, if you are cynical, we got as a result of TXU working with the Governor to 'fast-track' twelve or so new coal plants that TXU never wanted...but did get the freedom from lawsuits to build three plus add to its nuclear capabilities. Oddly enough, a lot of it started with a former governor we had...some guy named Bush.

Texas wants to use every acre it can to produce and sell power be it coal, nuclear, hydro, solar, wind, or frog farts.

[P-40]

What particular area are you interested in? I can get you some groups or have you considered talking to the companies involved themselves? The LCRA is great, as is Austin Energy, and one of my favorite wind companies is Cielo Wind located just downtown.

[weaponeer]

Thanks. I'll check out their web sites. I know Austin Energy is big in the so called "green" movement.

I just recently got interested in the whole energy/environment/efficiency/independence thing. I've had PV panels powering my ham radio shack for years, and I've been interested in home-scale alternate energy systems for quite some time (I was an original stockholder in Real Goods Trading Company when I lived in Calif. back in the day.) But I've just gotten interested in utility-scale issues due to all the climate change hype. I've been doing a lot of reading in the last few months, which is why I happened to have those two books you mentioned.

I'm flying to Munich, Germany next week where I am working with a German company building methanol fuel cells for military applications. I'm finding it quite interesting. I'll be retiring soon after 38 years working for the Army, and might want to look around a bit for a part time gig in the energy biz, just to keep my hand in. Good to know there's some activity in the Austin area.

[P-40]

I’m working on an energy forum that will involve the city now. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes. If this is something that you are interested in...Austin will be where it is at. :)

[SierraWasp]

Keep drinkin that Kool-Aid there Red. [rolls yer danged eyes right back to ya] Ha Ha Ha!!! The Jane Fonda/Michael Moore/Mark Riesner/Wallace Stegner propoganda machine sure has had it’s way with your mind, I see!!!

[WOSG]

TXU never wanted the coal plants they wanted and paid money to have PR over having us let them build them???
That doesnt make any sense.

What does make sense is this: Texas needs power to grow and be successful. As gas gets expensive and coal gets unpalatable, nuclear will save the day.

[SierraWasp]

Yeah... These will be mainly night jobs, right? You solar workers better start savin up fer a rainy/cloudy day, too!!!

[P-40]

I’ve no ‘postable’ proof of this...but I think TXU only wanted three new coal plants, and did want two new nuclear generators....but also wanted no more lawsuits. They got their three plants and their two new generators...but I think they will still have some lawsuits to deal with. I think it was one of those ‘we all know we need the energy so how are we going to get it’ type deals. I think at one point they were even ‘suggesting’ taking plants down for maintenance during summer.

[WOSG]

“I am watching Exelon’s efforts with the Matagorda County effort. “

As a central Texas resident and Excelon shareholder, I am watching with interest as well.

I hope their plant goes well.

Now should be a good time to get a nuclear engineering degree and/or get in the nuke construction business again. There should be quite a bit of build out in the next 20 years, should all these plans come to fruition.

See:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/1/55720/19863
The difficulties with the coal proposals and the remaining demand for increased baseload capacity provided a window for NRG Energy, the largest shareholder (44%) of the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC) to propose expanding the 2 existing units at STP to 4. TXU similarly proposed expanding the two units at Comanche Peak (Dallas region) to four; these plans remain active after TXU scrapped most coal designs. Two additional plants on greenfield sites are also proposed; one by an Amarillo group, the other by Exelon corp. to be situated on the Gulf Coast somewhere near the STP site. In total, these represent somewhere in the neighborhood of 8000 MW capacity on top of ~4500 MW existing nuclear capacity. For scale, Texas capacity was approx. 63,000 MW in Summer 2006. If 8000 MW of nuclear displaced an equal amount of coal or natural gas and overall consumption remained the same, it would still only bring Texas to the national average for nuclear power usage (~20%). However — it would go a very long way towards decreasing out CO2 emissions, and integrate well with expansion of wind power.”

“

[P-40]

These will be mainly night jobs, right? You solar workers better start savin up fer a rainy/cloudy day, too!!!

Believe it or not, they plan for these things.

[P-40]

Now should be a good time to get a nuclear engineering degree and/or get in the nuke construction business again.

I would think so. I don't know where all this 'green' stuff is going but if Al Gore & Company will shut up nuclear will be around for a few lifetimes.

[SierraWasp]

"And you can put a nuke in my backyard. I have property that is close to one. Doesn't bother me a bit."

But still you continue to hype the most expensive way to make electicity... solar!!!

It just doesn't compute!!!

[P-40]

But still you continue to hype the most expensive way to make electicity... solar!!!

The most expensive way? How do you compute that?

[WOSG]

“It is...and my state is the only one that is expanding it that I can think of at the moment. “

Actually there is a LOT of movement on nuclear power plants in many states, with 30 new nuclear power plants on the drawing boards...

List:
http://www.nei.org/index.asp?catnum=2&catid=344

http://www.nei.org/index.asp?catnum=4&catid=1032
“As the nation looks to strengthen its energy security, meet future electricity needs and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, 16 energy companies and consortia over the past 18 months have announced their intention to file license applications with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build as many as 30 new nuclear power plants.”

BTW, more on Excelon’s site:
http://neinuclearnotes.blogspot.com/2007/06/exelon-announces-two-possible-texas.html