I’ve heard this before.
So this guy is lobbying Congress to remove all those federal subsidies that are just giving wind and solar a bad name? I must have missed that in the article.
I don’t mind considering alternative power sources but just like cars, if it cannot match what I have now you can keep it.
He’s correct with regard to wind - AT UTILITY SCALE. In other words, large wind farms with high hub heights and large turbines are cost-effective with other forms of generation today WITHOUT subsidies. The PTC expired last year and has not been renewed for those in Rio Lindo, and the wind industry is going along just fine without them, as they know the subsidy isn’t necessary but who turns down free money?
Small wind, e.g. little turbines at houses and farms are not and never will be able to achieve cost parity. They can still be useful, but just always more expensive. Same with small solar.
It remains to be seen whether technology advances as he describes can bring cost parity to utility scale solar. Even so, it will always likely be a niche form of generation.
Do bear in mind that all forms of electrical power generation are subsidized by the federal gov’t in some way or another, as well as regulated.
There is no solar power when it’s dark and there is no windmill power when the wind is calm. For either of these technologies to be successful, you need a way to store excess power for those times when insufficient power is being generated.
The article is your typical trade magazine puff piece. No different than the ones I read in my own industry. The trade magazine, where everything is fantastic, where nothing is garbage. Like someone said, if it is all soo great, than I guess we can eliminate all the government giveaways. As for the electric car, my test is, can I drive from NYC to Tampa in less than 24 hours. If I cannot, than I am not interested.
so, whatevah.
Same prediction was made nearly every year for the last 20 years.
Until one is build and is able to prove this through the numbers, I think this is fantasy land.
They always talk peak efficiency, not average efficiency, because the sun doesn’t shine in the night and the wind doesn’t blow all the time. This always cuts their numbers in half right off the bat, if not more.
Yeah...well...you can always us a kitchen knife as a screwdriver, too, but very few mechanics have one in their toolbox.
Nuclear power will be too cheap monitor. Free!
Wake me when it is.
“Wind power has already reached grid parity”
Hogwash.
http://www.newsweek.com/whats-true-cost-wind-power-321480
http://instituteforenergyresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Giberson-study-Final.pdf
That would be great if it’s true or if it happens. But here’s the thing: The left will NEVER allow it. They don’t want to cheap energy of any kind. Cheap energy fuels capitalism. Capitalism (to them) equals greedy wealthy corporations. The left only likes expensive energy sources designed to make thing more expensive and less practical. They will find ways to criticize whatever happens or taxes to make it more expensive.
How many solar cells does it take to power a steel mill? The ones that are equipped with arc furnaces that run 24/7/365? Where and how will these plants store and release energy when the sun goes down, and the wind stops blowing?
The problem with 100 meter blades is they can’t rotate as fast as 60 meter blades because the speed of the blade tip is supersonic at lower wind velocity. Going supersonic causes vibration that can destroy the blade so the turbine has to be shut down in high winds. 60 meter speed limit is 56 miles/hour.
The solar array near Las Vegas is not efficient because it is under the path of jet traffic to/from Southern CA. The vapor trails cut down the amount of energy reaching the mirrors. The plant has a gas fired heating system to get the heat exchange liquid warm in the morning so the plant will operate. Sometimes it takes until Noon before the plant can run on sun power. Dust also accumulates on the mirrors, reducing the amount of energy they can reflect the the boiler tower.
This article sounds like someone who is TRYING to sway everyone in the direction that this is currently happening.
In my opinion... IT'S NOT.
Soon we will only be able to see
“O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties,
above the fruited plain “
in a CGI movie.