A new report from the International Energy Agency has highlighted the need for new policies, infrastructure, and markets to accommodate the increasing level of variable renewable energies like wind and solar feeding electricity into national grids.
America’s leading solar energy company SolarCity has taken to its blog to highlight “the absurd growth potential of rooftop solar in America” by producing three maps that really do show the phenomenal potential rooftop solar has in the US.
The numbers fluctuate. At 10:19 AM Pacific Time, on December 13, wind turbines fed 434 megawatts (MW) into the grid. There have been days when they produced 140% of the nation’s need. Then there is solar energy and biomass. According to the Danish Energy Agency, combined, renewables produce 56% of Denmark’s domestic electricity consumption.
This week, Donald Trump’s transition team has announced it will nominate Exxon Mobil chief executive Rex W. Tillerson to be his Secretary of State, and former-Texas Governor Rick Perry as his Secretary of Energy — a fossil fuel proponent and a climate change denier, to round out an administration seemingly full of such beliefs.
5.4¢/kWh is on the low end of Lazard’s estimated levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for solar power plants. It’s not far below it like recent bids in the Middle East — but this is Denmark! If an immature solar market in a Scandinavian country can see an average solar price of 5.4¢/kWh — which beats the LCOE from every other new power plant option except wind — that’s a significant milestone.
The Breakthrough Energy Coalition just launched its new Ventures fund, which is a direct challenge to Trump’s emerging policies for Russia and China.
“California clean energy businesses are not the be all and end all, but they are providing resources for other businesses to succeed,” Danny Kennedy, managing director of the California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF), said in an exclusive interview with CleanTechnica. “I think that’s going to accelerate in the post-Trump reality.”
The United States solar industry shattered all records this past quarter, installing a massive 4.1 GW at an average of 2 MW of solar PV installed per hour through the quarter.
A Florida city enjoying the relaxed breeze that comes off of the neighboring Gulf of Mexico has become the 20th city in the United States to commit to 100% energy freedom.
I’m on a lot of environmental email lists (many without opting in — grrr) and most are saying the same thing: people are signing up in record numbers.
