22nd-Page News: Germany Sets Solar PV Record
Right now it’s tough to get excited about anything else than the single most bizarre thing that’s ever happened in U.S. history, i.e., the firing of the FBI Director, the totally incredible reason provided for it, and what appears to be the beginning of the end of the Trump administration. But here goes: Germany set a new record for the use of renewable energy, mostly solar energy. On April 30 of this year, 85% of all the electricity consumed in Germany was being produced from renewables such as wind, solar, biomass, and hydroelectric power.
I know there will be people who will comment that this is insane, that their grid is unstable, and that their power prices are astronomical. In fact, none of this is true. When you hear this, you may want to ask these people: Do you happen to actually know anyone in Germany? Have you spoken with them?
I have. They’re sane, they’re proud–and their lights are on. Great job.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled program: the imploding U.S. presidency.
I really don’t care one bit about the percentage of power supplied by renewables on a single day. If Deutschland had stated that over a period of one year they got 85% of their power from renewables then I might be impressed.
It sounds like you’re at least a “bit” impressed, if only 1/365th. of a bit. 🙂
Keep in mind that this is an industry that’s still in its infancy.
Some industries remain in their infancy forever.
I’m not sure that’s true. Of course, some fail to become anything and just go away. I would suggest that ocean wave energy, large-scale flywheel storage, and propane-based transportation are current examples. Needless to say, I could go on….and on…..
Craig,
Firstly, let me say I love the photo, very emotive and inspiring.
The photo says a lot about your article, very upbeat, full of enthusiastic passion, naivety and totally lacking in objective analysis.
The article you cite is from ‘Clean Technica’ an interesting website published on line by Scott Cooney from Honolulu. His source of information comes from a press release by Patrick Graichen lobbyist for the Agora Energiewende Initiative funded by organizations such as Stiftung Mercator and the European Climate Foundation.
These organizations while perfectly reputable and earnest, are not exactly impartial distributors of information, or likely to publish unfavorable critiques about information distributed by their sponsors, who include various European governments (including Germany) and corporations manufacturing Wind Turbines and Alternate energy suppliers.
It’s not a matter of dishonesty, just a matter of balance. Just as press release by the American Petroleum Institute may contain accurate information, an element of bias is to be expected.
” Do you happen to actually know anyone in Germany? Have you spoken with them?”
Yes, I do! I spend a large part of my working life conversing with my German counterparts.
” I have. They’re sane, they’re proud–and their lights are on ”
We must be speaking to different Germans ! While many Germans are enthusiastic supporters of Energiewende, these tend to be of the Green-left persuasion,or work in the renewable Energy sector.
Let’s examine your assertion that German power cost have not risen dramatically ? What information do you possess to make such a statement ?
In fact in just over a decade German Power prices have risen by 400% for industry. The only reason it not 700 % is the result of massive subsidies by the taxpayer and private consumers.
Germany has been forced to buy power from it’s neighbors and reopen old mothballed coal fired power stations.
Would you buy a car so unreliable it works only a few hours on one day each year ?
Sometimes those rose tinted glasses of yours lead you astray !
Craig appreciate your enthusiasm for the progress that Germany is making in their national Quest to become a carbon reduced or carbon free electrical market.
Yes they have days of significant Generation but over all there is much work to do. And I am sure they wil make more progress to develop both more firm generation and also more end use efficient.
They are beginning to push CHP which burns gas but use it in CHP mode and attaining 90 % thermal efficiency. That is much better Marco and Frank than a 25 to 33 % efficient old coal or even a 35 % thermal efficient nuke.
The location of end use CHP in the commercial and industrial sector will help them average down the energy cost for the facilities off setting some of those high electric prices and they will have more flexibility in the system which will reduce spinning reserves.
new generation wind at 8 to 12 megs per pole will lower kwhr cost and generate more an increase capacity factors so coming attractions for the Engerweinde –
some of the original leaders of the Energy Plan have admitted they may have erred in the first 5 or 7 years of the plan. So they are sobering up some and they recognize remains to be done. They must get some better balance in supply.
So they have to keep working at it.
Now that France has some issues with their aging nuclear units Germany is sending some over generation to other Grids and helping out so there is a benefit to that. They have driven down the whole sale price at times but that plays some havoc with legacy costs so mixed blessing. – One lesson of the Engerwinde is the need to completely integrate the various European grids so they can exchange power as needed better.
Europe is saying that all coal must be gone by 2030 ? or so so that will be a Great thing but a daunting goal or aspiration ! ???
Britain can do it and the Netherlands too but I dont know if Germany can do it that soon.
Of course many of the Engerwiende real believers say that cost effective batteries will be a critical new piece to the generation mix and they can store some of this excess generation internally inside their borders for when they need it.
don’t know if they w turn to SMR s for the last balancing piece or not. They seem to have soured on nuclear. Phasing it out. some say that is a mistake others say they are done with it.
All this is to be determined . so I can appreciate both Marco and Franks sober assessment; but I suggest we take all facets of the problem – challenges and evolving options into consideration before passing hard judgments.
The Cake is still Baking …. and we have not decided on the icing yet !!!
carry on but hold the Hubris for a good solar day need many more….
craig save some Excitement for when the Trumpet has to fall off the wall into little pieces that will be a Sunny Day for sure ! ha ha
I’m just going to pull the pin and throw this in.
https://www.rmi.org/news/misrepresenting-german-energy-situation/
Thanks. One might think that honesty and fairness would stand in the way of people’s deliberately misrepresenting and maligning the progress that the German are making in energy. Not so.
Craig,
Good grief! Is there no end to your selectivity ?
First you ask the question, “” Do you happen to actually know anyone in Germany? Have you spoken with them?”
Then, you as an American, having cited one small US website now join Amory Lovins ( American activist with the Rocky Mountain Institute) in dismissing as Germany most respected media outlets, Der Spiegel as a “(dis)reputable” source on German energy policy.
Der Speigal of course is,( unlike you or Mr Lovins ), actually German ! Der Speigal (the Mirror) has over 1,000,000 reader who actually pay to read the print edition.
Naturally, you also dismiss a plethora of German analysts, economists and scientists. After all what would they know about their own country ?
Far better to source your information from press releases from US corporations and other American ‘know it all’ busy bodies.
There are plenty of reputable German supporters of “Energiewende” you could quote, not least the government.
But there are also plenty of German critics. You could try reading the highly detailed analysis prepared by prominent German scientist and economist Dr Heiner Flassbeck, former Director of Macroeconomics and Development at the UNCTAD in Geneva and a former State Secretary of Finance.
Of course for you, as an American, Dr Flassbeck has the disadvantage of being merely German and not a resident of California !
“Said Tweedledum to Tweesledee “With these Rose tinted glasses, look how happy we can be ”
“Yes indeed” cried Tweedledee, “life’s so safe when we see only what we want to see !”
Brain,
As I observed to in my reply to Craig, it might pay to gain your information from more varied sources.
That’s not to say Engerwiende doesn’t have many honest and reputable supporters, but that doesn’t mean Engerwiende critics are dishonest or disreputable.
Assessing German power production and energy in general, is extraordinarily complex and bewilderingly secretive. The German Government and bureaucracy has excelled in making any objective analysis incredibly difficult.
All sorts of dynamics, some very obscure, others the result of EU regulations and cross border grids, make understanding the labyrinth exceedingly difficult.
Because of the complex nature, “green energy ” usage accredited to a particular German city may in fact have never occurred. The complex trade in energy credits may mean power generated in Denmark,paid for by Germany with Czech credits may actually be used in Poland. Meanwhile the German city is using French nuclear power but accredited to the Netherlands.
Meantime, when a surplus of power overlapping from conventional generation and renewables occurs, government regulations demand only the renewable generation is recorded and the conventional ‘dumped’. Distortion also occur as a result of not differentiating between “usable’ power and total power generation when calculating renewable energy.
Figure often include estimate of roof top solar production based on the rated capacity of panels. Obviously, the actual value of the nonrenewable power output would be very different. Anomalies like these are not considered in the rhetoric of activist advocates like Amory Lovat (or Craig).
Contrary to Amory Lovins’ myopic understanding of German power production the German and EU administration provide more than 1,017 subsidies and incentives for renewable energy.
Although German energy consumers are taxed, nearly everyone is entitled to generous rebates and tax relief.
As I say, Engerwiende has a lot of enthusiastic support in Germany, although mostly emotive and without much in depth knowledge. Germans who really study and try to make sense of it all, are usually very critical.
Brian thanks for sharing that excellent clarification from RMI . Our society is suffering from too much DiS Information campaigns funded by the Carbon sector to confuse the public , mis lead policy makers or bribe our so called public officials who do their low bidding. Low as the results are bad for society but the price for their votes is High the Bribe !
It is no wonder that so many people don t really understand clearly what the issues are nor what the real Truth is or what are the Real solutions these days….NY times a decent paper but victim to spreading mis information….sorta like the false info on the IRAQ War …how history keeps re running same think spreading mis information = bad results = we all pay more. Damn!
Dis Information and Corporate Media Profits created the Frankenstein called trumpet !!!
And now they pretend to be so Out raged ! and Act Indignant etc…oh well
Thanks Brian your info from Amory Lovins backed up what I said earlier.
marco mate Dr Lovins is a legend and his talking points have come long long way from 1979 when the Public utiltiy Industry called him a quacko ! I have saved the arrrticles and shared with folks over the years.
In last 15 years or so most of the major electric a nd some Gas utilities have consulted — paid Him and his team of experts —-for technical guidance . His finger prints are on Energy policies All over the U S , including some Red States too!
the majority of his energy concepts on both soft energy and hard energy have made Positive Impact and are now engrained into our Electric Sector from top to bottom.
it took long for the Powers that Be to fully grasp and understand the benefits. So be careful throwing stones at him.
if you attack Amory Lovins you are attacking the major players in electric utility Industry as he gave them their foundation on modern thinking and energy efficiency economics .
He is not perfect and can be sorta Arrogant I know from personal interaction with him years ago. Despite his rude treatment I see him as a real player.
Germans will meet their challenges takes some time. I would wager They will do so in a shorter time frame than it takes to build a huge nuclear genie megawatt machine –
who knows but Doom and Gloom is not Policy !
Silent,
Whenever you mention nuclear you seem obsessed by the giant uranium power plant design of 70 years ago !
Advanced nuclear power plant design has has much in common with that technology as as valve radio’s to the modern digital miniature radio.
The Japanese have designed Thorium based power plants no larger than a suburban home, installed safely in an urban or industrial underground location, requiring little staff or maintenance, incapable of ‘accidents’ or meltdowns, not requiring miles of transmission infrastructure, and capable of massive power on demand.
The problem of waste is no longer an issue with this kind of technology.
For industrial societies, difference between Wind and Solar and Thorium nuclear could be fairly compared to the difference between sailing ships and steam ships.
Sailing ships do work,(far more romantic) but are really impractical in comparison to modern ship design.
Marco,
I was previously unaware that any thorium nuclear plants were actually running. It would have been nice if you had provided links. I’ll do some google searches and hope that I can get more information by doing so.
It looks as though some variety of the lithium fluoride thorium reactor (LFTR) may be the reactor choice which is best. If not, there are other alternatives to the traditional mediocre pressurized water uranium reactor.
Hi Frank,
Japan has only designed it’s min power plants, none are under construction. The PRC and India both have experimental programs in construction.
Sadly, the US abandoned it’s LFTR program beck in 1962.
Since I live in a nation with an abundance of Thorium, Thorium is merely my preferred choice of technology, but there are many other advanced nuclear technologies with equal potential.
As a keen sailor, I’m well aware of the advantages of Wind power, not the least being environmental, but I would suggest world shipping returning to the clipper ship !
Marco,
I fully agree that it was a serious mistake for the U.S. to abandon the LFTR R & D project in the 1960s. If the project had not been abandoned most likely we would be way ahead of where we now are in nuclear power generation.
There seem to be differences in opinion of how the LFTR should be designed. One of its prominent supporters believes that the two fluid system should be used wherein one container would be filled with the unreacted thorium tetrafluoride and the other container would be filled with the thorium which had been converted to U235 with the two containers separated with a barrier transparent to neutrons. That would significantly simply reprocessing of the reactants. The problem would be finding a barrier material which would not be damaged by bombardment by neutrons. It is because of the difficulty in finding a suitable barrier material that some supporters favor the single container approach even though it would compile reprocessing. I don’t feel qualified to take a position on that disagreement.
The LFTR is a subset of the liquid salt reactor type. It could be that some other type of liquid salt reactor would turn out to be better. It may be too soon to know. In any case I think that more effort should be put into R & D to make superior nuclear reactors available ASAP. Gas cooled reactors perhaps should also be considered.
Hi Frank,
Yes I agree, the dangers and emotion posed by the awesome power of nuclear technology caused the industry a massive set back in it’s infancy, allowing it to only partly develop.
Sadly the most destructive facets of the technology developed while thanks to an abundance of fossil fuel, the useful facets were hindered by excessive regulation and prejudice.
Nuclear became a by-word for hatred and emotional outpouring, mostly by people with over imagination and little scientific knowledge.
Today, the Wind-Solar power industry has become one of the most strident critics, with supporters (still lacking any scientific or economic understanding) creating hysterical opposition.
The future of nuclear in the West will be exceedingly difficult, but in Asia various nations are investing in advanced nuclear and will soon leave the west floundering economically.
The UK is missing yet another opportunity to develop small nuclear. Rolls-Royce has developed designs for a new generation of small nuclear reactors (SMRs) which will revolutionize the power generation industry.
Generating about 250 megawatts of power, they are far less powerful than traditional plants such as Hinkley Point at 3.2 gigawatts, but can be mass produced quickly and at a fraction of the cost.
As usual the UK government is indecisive and worries about the usual collection of of protestors and will watch the technology and engineering skills leave for Asia.
Marco and frank
I agree with you that UK should try to run with rolls Royce or some one other than EDF and Frnace as the hinckley pt project looks like its doomed economically and will lock th econsumers into higher proices etc.
Now tht Westinghouse is failing the Moorhead project in Uk is at risk too.
You point your finger at the UK government vacillating and making poor decisions. I tend to agree with what I have read on this – seems Hinckley Pt is more about a BREXIT political strategy than it is a power plant. ! there I said it..
Many in the Power business are saying it. EDF may not make it as the cost issues with France s nuke program mushroom and toxify the entire nuclear cycle supply and processing chain in france. chickens coming home to roost . More French government subsidies needed.
Britain needs a favorable Brexit deal so they are using all that money investment which helps EDF to justify proceeding . Many say they should exit be done with it.
china man is also in talks w UK on future of nuclear energy there. so maybe a SMR will pop up!
YES POLITICS DOES ENTER INTO IT. ENERGY is capital intensive and has a LONG LONG REVENUE and TAX STREAMS . SO the HIGH STAKES make it POLITICAL. MAYBE that is who we should Aim and SHOOT Our ARROWS until our BOWS BREAK AND QUIVERS RUN EMPTY
NOW WHERE O WHERE IS Lawrence Coombers when HIS Big Energy IS NEEDED …
yeah MARCO SE Asia and china man are the only ones running at Full Steam with nuclear right now.
lets see how the Westinghouse / Toshiba collapse impacts things?
Mate Marco
In other discussions you have given a good over view of the emery mix and the politics that reflect Australia’s current energy sources.
We have been going around on the German EnergWeinde and you have been critical of it the R E plan . you have some decent points but also some generalizations in making your case.
You have stated that some of us are too emotive or too gung ho on the R E growth there and that we ignore the many challenges that the transition to R E from fossil fuel entails.
I objectively believe that others including myself have provided supportive information and explained the market dynamics that led Germany to think they on the right course . Much of Europe is going down that pathway.
So I decided to do some Research on Australian energy market
and here is a excellent summary of New developments in Aussie land –
lots of activity and the prices are coming down as you will read how Origin a Energy co in Aussie land has made a huge price reduction
etc. For WIND .
Google the article in RenewEconomy’s.AU
There is a nice chart could not import it into 2 green which shows a impressive price decline for wind in Aussie land. .
so Macro and others who may read this we can see that R E has a strong future in Australia as the industry is maturing and lowering costs etc. etc. so while Aussie s dont have a Energweinde they are starting to Move in right direction – Wind is beating BROWN coal now. with 530 MW wind plant.
Origin stuns industry with record low price for 530MW wind farm
By Sophie Vorrath & Giles Parkinson on 8 May 2017
Origin Energy has set a stunning new benchmark for renewable energy off-take deals in Australia – and sounded the alarm for energy incumbents – after committing to a long-term power purchase agreement of below $60/MWh for the 530MW Stockyard Hill Wind Farm in Victoria.
Under the terms of the deal, Origin will sell Stockyard Hill Wind Farm – Australia’s largest wind development – to Chinese company and wind turbine manufacturer Goldwind for $110 million.
At the same time it has agreed to buy all of the power generated by it, and the associated Renewable Energy Certificates, for less than $60/MWh, from the commencement of operations in 2019 to 2030.
RenewEconomy understands that the strike price for the wind farm output is “well below” $60/MWh and closer to $50/MWh than $60/MWh.
As such, it sets a new benchmark for renewable energy prices in Australia, and its impact should not be underestimated. As such, it sets a new benchmark for renewable energy prices in Australia, and its impact should not be underestimated.
It is, after all, around half of the wholesale price and comparable to what could be bought directly from a brown and coal fired generator.
It compares with the AGL deal to pay just $65/MWh for the output of the Silverton wind farm in the first five years, which beat the previous low price of $73/MWh price struck in the ACT wind auction for the Hornsdale wind farm, although that price was fixed for 20 years, with no inflation uplift.
Origin Energy CEO Frank Calabria says it indicates just how fast Australia’s renewable energy transition is unfolding.
“Through our deal with Goldwind, Origin has been able to add a substantial amount of new renewable energy to our portfolio at a market leading PPA price.
“And, as Stockyard Hill is in Victoria, this will help to cover a large portion of the load of the recently retired Hazelwood Power Station,” Calabria said.
“As Origin looks to a future where renewables will dominate Australia’s energy supply, we are in a very strong position to build one of the nation’s lowest cost renewables portfolios.”
Origin has signed a slew of PPAs with wind and solar farms in recent months, including the 110MW Darling Downs solar farm – located adjacent to its large gas generator – which it sold to APA last week. It has also signed contracts for three other solar farms – including the 220MW Bungala solar farm in South Australia and has two more large contracts in the pipeline.
Origin, like the other retailers, are expected to shoulder the bulk of the efforts to meet Australia’s renewable energy target of 33,000GWh by 2020, which roughly equates to around 23.5 per cent of total demand. Origin is indicating that it can go further, courtesy of the plunging cost of wind and solar.
“By 2020, we expect that renewables will be more than 25 per cent of the energy in our generation mix, allowing us to deliver the cleaner energy our customers want,” Calabria said in a statement.
“Last year, we announced our ambition to add up to 1,500MW of new renewables by 2020, and we are now just 300MW short of that target.”
Last week, the Clean Energy Regulator said that despite fears to the contrary, the RET was likely to be met, given the huge rush of contracted projects in the last six months, particularly in solar. It says there may be enough commitments made by the end of the year to meet that target.
Some doubt that, worrying about the retailers’ appetite beyond the current rush of projects, but Origin’s comments appear to allay those fears.
While recent investment has been centred around large scale solar farms, whose costs have fallen dramatically in the last year, the Stockyard Hill deal shows there are still great deals to be found in wind energy, and wind energy costs are still falling.
Under the terms of the deal, Origin will sell Stockyard Hill Wind Farm – Australia’s largest wind development – to Chinese company and wind turbine manufacturer Goldwind for $110 million.
At the same time it has agreed to buy all of the power generated by it, and the associated Renewable Energy Certificates, for less than $60/MWh, from the commencement of operations in 2019 to 2030.
RenewEconomy understands that the strike price for the wind farm output is “well below” $60/MWh and closer to $50/MWh than $60/MWh.
As such, it sets a new benchmark for renewable energy prices in Australia, and its impact should not be underestimated. It is, after all, around half of the wholesale price and comparable to what could be bought directly from a brown and coal fired generator.
It compares with the AGL deal to pay just $65/MWh for the output of the Silverton wind farm in the first five years, which beat the previous low price of $73/MWh price struck in the ACT wind auction for the Hornsdale wind farm, although that price was fixed for 20 years, with no inflation uplift.
Origin Energy CEO Frank Calabria says it indicates just how fast Australia’s renewable energy transition is unfolding.
“Through our deal with Goldwind, Origin has been able to add a substantial amount of new renewable energy to our portfolio at a market leading PPA price.
“And, as Stockyard Hill is in Victoria, this will help to cover a large portion of the load of the recently retired Hazelwood Power Station,” Calabria said.
“As Origin looks to a future where renewables will dominate Australia’s energy supply, we are in a very strong position to build one of the nation’s lowest cost renewables portfolios.”
Origin has signed a slew of PPAs with wind and solar farms in recent months, including the 110MW Darling Downs solar farm – located adjacent to its large gas generator – which it sold to APA last week. It has also signed contracts for three other solar farms – including the 220MW Bungala solar farm in South Australia and has two more large contracts in the pipeline.
Origin, like the other retailers, are expected to shoulder the bulk of the efforts to meet Australia’s renewable energy target of 33,000GWh by 2020, which roughly equates to around 23.5 per cent of total demand. Origin is indicating that it can go further, courtesy of the plunging cost of wind and solar.
“By 2020, we expect that renewables will be more than 25 per cent of the energy in our generation mix, allowing us to deliver the cleaner energy our customers want,” Calabria said in a statement.
“Last year, we announced our ambition to add up to 1,500MW of new renewables by 2020, and we are now just 300MW short of that target.”
Last week, the Clean Energy Regulator said that despite fears to the contrary, the RET was likely to be met, given the huge rush of contracted projects in the last six months, particularly in solar. It says there may be enough commitments made by the end of the year to meet that target.
Some doubt that, worrying about the retailers’ appetite beyond the current rush of projects, but Origin’s comments appear to allay those fears.
While recent investment has been centered around large scale solar farms, whose costs have fallen dramatically in the last year, the Stockyard Hill deal shows there are still great deals to be found in wind energy, and wind energy costs are still falling.
It also suggests that Origin will have to update this graph to the right that it released last week, which highlighted the plunging cost of wind and solar PPAs in Australia over the last few years.
Note how Origin make it clear that renewables are the lowest cost new build generation today -it’s not coal, it’s not gas, and it’s certainly not nuclear.
Indeed Origin, like AGL Energy, has now dismissed the idea that gas fired generation can play any significant role in the energy transition, with Calabria telling investors last week that only gas peaking plants will play a role, and that they will be “even peakier” than they have been, suggesting they will be used less and less as more wind and solar and more storage is installed.
The Stockyard Hill deal, announced on Monday, remains subject to regulatory approvals and still hinges on Goldwind achieving financial close of the project.
That financing shouldn’t be an issue, given that Goldwind is one of the biggest wind turbine manufacturers in the world and is currently building the 175MW White Rock wind project in Barnaby Joyce’s electorate, and is building it without a contract and on a merchant basis.
Environment Victoria’s Mark Wakeham said it was clear that the finance industry had decided that renewable energy was the future, but warned that deployment would grind to a halt unless the Turnbull government extended the national renewable energy target and the Victorian government legislated the state renewable energy target.
“To meet our national 2020 renewable energy target, all projects will need to be underway this year or next. After that, investment in renewable energy projects could fall off a cliff without longer-term targets.”
Note: To catch up on last week’s events and RenewEconomy’s analysis you can listen to our Energy Insiders Podcast, click here or below.
In closing….
So this Positive Forecast for Renewable energy in Australia is a Fresh air for a tired world. The expansion is gearing up. Maybe Policy makers are paying attention to all the other countries that are moving forward with R E.
So soon it will be harder to criticize the Germans and others who have same vision for a Brighter Future. Many of your countrymen and policy makers and financial backers have a similar Vision for cleaner energy etc.
Silent,
You do realize the article you quoted is from a press release (a sort of advertisement) for an energy retailer, justifying selling an asset to a Chinese investor ?
You also realize 95% of the power generated and distributed by Origin Energy is Gas Coal or Coal seem gas ?
No doubt you will be aware of Origins huge investment in new OIL, Gas and Coal Seam gas pipelines ? (It sold the wind farms to invest in pipelines).
Are you aware Origin sold down it’s stake in Wind farms, just before the government reduced the very generous subsidy. Origin still earns a taxpayer, consumer funded “top-up” allowance for buying or selling renewable energy ?
The national renewable energy target has become a completely toothless tiger, while the current Victorian Labour government holds a slender majority, and is lagging behind in the polls.
The poor South Australians are suffering high prices and power blackouts. South Australia’s mandated “renewable power” is totally dependent on importing coal fired power from Victoria.
The problem with Wind production is on a really windy day the the unit cost of production can be very economical. However, most of that power is wasted.
The analogy of a sailing ship v steam is valid. Industrial societies want power on demand, not intermittent power. Renewables do have a place, but although I applaud your enthusiasm, it’s not objective.
Maro you know your country better you ar eon the ground there. but Bloomberg had that copy from Renew Economy AU and some one is making money or the prices would not be coming down.
I am sure they dont have the transmission needed to utilize the diversity in geo graphical locations. Tha tis how gid operatrs in th e states are aggregating wind and balancing out th eproduction sites from non wind sites then as time passes in a day then the wind shifts and they capture form the formerly dead zone.
Maybe your transmission system is not robust enough to do those things ???
But then again the wind may only be a good source by the coasts and Inland Australia maybe not good wind. I have no idea.
I have no problem if origin is diversified but expanding R E. from what ou said the country was built on coal.
too bad you export so much gas the government should take care of Aussies first. Exports are cheap commodities . You can do both just have to manage it better.
Is it closer to china from Aussie land than from Washington State or California in the States?
the reason I ask is that Aussie s should have a shipping cost advantage over the US to export LNG to China . I know you have one for India you are closer.
You say coal seam gas – how long does a well lasts ? Our coal bed methane usually peaked out in less than 6 years or less. So they had to be drilling repeatedly.
then shale gas came and it hurt the coal seam gas sector, shale here also peaks in 5 or 6 years but there is a production tail for awhile.
Sounds like divided government in australia holds back a good energy climate policy perhaps?
Silent,
Renew Economy AU is an outlet of the Renewable Energy Association.
Actually Origin is selling it’s RE assets, and expanding it’s coal and gas assets.
Coal Seam gas is only a minor, but increasingly important player.
Infrastructure isn’t good, and will such vast distances very expensive to upgrade.
Marco
Thanks for the additional info – from your reply coal seam is small part of reserves so Aussie land has traditional conventional regular natural gas deposits.
do they run pipelines to the SE where are the people are for distribution? From your incomplete answer I must assume you have conventional gas and the coal seam is minor. ?
You know more than me in your land , but Origin has a wonderful price of Wind energy graph that shows EXCELLENT Price reductions and this new deal lowers the meg watt hr price more.
its obvious they are deep into w the china man using GoldWind the big china co. No bother to me but I like Vestas and Siemens better but Aussies need trade with china man I get it.
I find it rather minimal that you say that Origin is major coal/ gas / oil player. Many of the real players in R E have their roots in traditional carbon energy.
Its called EPC experience and capitalization is established something many start ups never get to that point and that is why they drop out of market after a few projects.
In the US NRG owns 50,000 megs of power plants they are Independent Power Producer , one of the leaders. They also have a little over 5,000 megs of wind and solar and bought many assets ( solar ) from the bankrupt startup Sun Edison last fall.
so they built the Co on carbon but have made money off of R E .
More energy market irony – NRG is losing money in their whole sale IPP provider market as are the other big players in the States.
How ever 33 % of their revenue is now coming from ReNewable energy solar and wind. But new mgmt wants to divest of all RE because they are Trump carbon head disciples many people think. Co may be up for sale.
But the irony Marco they lose money on conventional due to the vagaries of the whole sale power market but the R E sector making them money $$ go figure maybe the over paid executives or Equity firms are just dumb GOMERs! or Greedy or both or many other not so good things! HA ha !
Such are the ways of the captive carbon world they cant see the right path due to the smoke of their dirty fuel !!!
So Origin can play both sides of the street they may need the RE side one day.
In the UK Shell Oil is now going All In w WIND as are three other mainstream OIl co. Shell is also deploying Electric V charging systems as they see the WRITING on the Wall , we are Transitioning to a less carbon world . The market is shifting and major players are Diversifying their BETS – lest they become like the coal dead enders failing 1 trick ponies !!!
So go check out that graph, I did paint cut paste and could not get it into the 2 Green energy reply box. Darn it shows real down ward price of WIND in Your Back Yard despite your resistance to Wind Clean energy. Yes it needs a supplemental system.
I have a colleague doing project in Indonesia with solar , wind and methane from a chemical process of extraction to run supplemental turbines to firm up the out put during shady or wind less weather.
Its called diversification Marco. And its cleaner and addresses Global warming instead of just allowing the status quo to hang on and heat up the earth to dangerous levels.
In today’s papers the FEDS and State people in Montana are saying our Great Glaciers at the big park are DOOMED!
The scientists say this and say in 25 years or less they will be All Gone! So glacier Nat park will be Fake news to borrow from the false trumpet wild sayings ! Humor on Sunday morning.
So we need to pick up the pace and disregard the obvious limitations and work thru them. Just like the British did so well during the early dark days of WW 2 , they had a AIR Force equal to Germany by late 1941 and early 1942. they surpassed so called German engineering advantage etc. So have faith Mate.
I will keep my radar on Origin to see if they continue to develop wind projects like the article said they do.
Have a good Mothers Day with your Misses
cheers
Silent,
It’s good to see you so passionate about Wind and Solar. However, you should also remain objective about press releases from large corporations whether the be RE or fossil fuel generators.
Origin sold it’s Wind power higher price because it promised to buy the power output, and resell to consumers at a government guaranteed price.
So in reality it sold out of Wind to fund fossil fuel pipelines and infrastructure ! You are correct when you say it’s just good business, but emphasizes business chases profits not idealism, especially when those profits are government guaranteed.
Spain has leaned the price of allowing governments to create an unrealistic boom in solar and Wind power. One of the disadvantages that becomes evident without natural business evolution is the poor quality, bad installations and inappropriate applications of the technology.
It’s a difficult balance for governments to assist new technology to get started and established, without distorting natural technological development.
Thank you for your wishes on mothers day, I’m actually a widower but my daughter an I try to spend the day together.
My Daughter and her friends are back a university using the information and data gathered on their expedition to the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea to squabble about the effects, if any , of rising sea levels and coral depletion.
It will be interesting to study the mindsets and attitudes of the students to see the level of scientific objectivity over preconceived idea’s.
Marco
well glad you have your daughter to visit and enjoy the session of the students and see how they process all the info they obtained.
Thnaks for explaining the motivations of Origin energy – yes it does sound to a degree tha they are leveraging the system or gaming it.
You are correct about Government finding the right Balance point. Real Tricky thing to do. And at some point they must wean folks off certain programs and let market settle things out some.
I am aware of Spain s issues. They have lots of issues.
Let s see if MS Audbrey the new director can sort things out right ?
I know that the Aussie rid is considering using 5 minute metering intervals for frequency tracking so that they dont le all the variable generation distort the 50 mghz frequency and crash the Grid or burn up peoples end use equipment.
The technocrats in Aussie land think its high time they switch from the current 30 minute monitoring and control strategy to a 5 minute interval so they dont let the Swing get too high etc or low for that matter.
We are living in a evolving Transition definitely Interesting times.
Thanks for the exchange. I try to keep my radar On and catch on what is happneing.
We can agree that UK should give Rolls Royce a chance to run w SMr and jettison the over priced EDF big nuke deal at Hinckley Point – it is not a good technology and the cost is way above market prices The Saga of large Nuclear Follies as I like to say plays on and on…
When will they ever learn but EU and UK politics over Brexit is
the Wild card influencing the decisions sad not good it should be about BTU’ s
take care over there The heat of summer approaches in Texas maybe I need to Cruise up to Montana and big Wyoming this summer and see how things are . There is a International uranium symposium going on at the Solar Eclipse . and it is supposed to be good . California spinning reserves w be High! this summer close to the Eclipse.
Silent,
There’s a lot of misinformation about Brexit.
When membership in the EU was originally sold to the British people, it was as participants in an economic and trade, not political or cultural organization.
The cultural, historic and legal systems of Britain are very different form the rest of Europe. The British people began to see the folly of ‘devolution’ and the diluting of Britain unique legal, political and cultural sovereignty.
No one asked the British people if they wanted diminished sovereignty an become subservient to Europe. Naturally, the British became restive while the EU became more aggressive and arrogantly hostile to British values and considerations.
The result is Brexit. Economically, Britain won’t suffer, in fact joining the EU and abandoning the old Commonwealth was always a mistake which has taken decades to realize.
Over the next few decades the UK will improve in strength and determination. Already many Welsh and Scots are turning back to the common values the bond the Britain together, and society is becoming less divisive.
The extremists no longer have encouragement, or a real cause as the people of Britain start learning to work together.
Boris Johnson’s Dream of an Economic Union starting with Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand, with India as a potential participant (and other Commonwealth nations in time) may become a reality.
Such a Union would easily become more important than the EU and far less expensive to run since these nations have common legal systems, some even share the same Head of State, and such a union would be very respectful of each others sovereignty.
The PRC dominated new “Silk Road” being built at a cost of $3 Trillion has the potential for the PRC to dominate Europe while marginalizing India.
Britain has been wise to return to it’s island security and independence.
Mate Marco we have more common Ground than one might think.
I think UK will be better off on their own as the European Union while I support some of it, like many Agencies it has strayed also goes way over board and turns government policy into a who can be the biggest appeaser and political correct etc.
Most of what you said I think is accurate.
Great Britain has done more for the world than any of those other pearly worly sweet talking bureaucrats in Brussels ever did.
they waste lots of money lack the back bone to develop realistic immigration policy and fail to meet their Nato defense level spending needs for decades . In Afgan both France and Germany troops were like guards – I have read the Forums – and did very little heavy lifting . Only Great Britain , Canada , Netherlands pulled their weight.
mean while Germany builds up its manufacturing base and the French dont work hard much. short work weeks .
its great but not in balance. Big Nuke in france has ticking cost Bomb ticking away. While their government was too busy being P C they did not tend to their internal nuke industry sector and lots of decay exists there – A bail out looms ….
I am sure Britain would participate because they are civilized Nation and Culture, but getting the rest of EU to sit down and formulate a strong economic and political assistance Mission to address the refugees issue in the Middle East and spend real money addressing the Humanitarian Needs of the area. Resolvve the issue over in Middle East so bombing is not needed – well the E U is MIA !!!
They let poor Greece whose is slave to the German Banks and others
I agree with their Energweinde and the Civilized nature of their social systems like but on other matters they are spineless in my view.
UK needs to cooperate with Europe and Europe needs to accept the centuries long reality that Great Britain is great because they Unified first and speak same language etc and have Rules that make sense. Not namby pamby pc mush. .
UK if it can form more economic ties to the countries you mentioned well that is a Good Plan. Now that they dont have to subsidize Germany and France by maintaining large land army forces in Germany they can spend that money on their Navy and be the Maritime Power and nation of traders that they have been. It requires investment in protection though.
Aussie, N Zealand , Canada and maybe India should pool their resources and leverage economies of scale in their defense and do more trade among st them selves. they can hold their own – and
the populations of some of those countries is growing .
EU is stagnant getting Grayer – older and that is part of their problem. Germany needs immigrants for labor. France keeps the Muslims in Ghettos which breed Terrorists.
UK elects Arabs to run their major citizens need I say more!
Scotland and N Ireland etc would be childish and foolish to break away from the Union. Hells Bells Scotland was bankrupt back in the day and England took them in and the old war stuff of late middle ages is over let it rest, move on. is over they are stronger and better off together.
the only thing Hilly billy said that made sense Ha ha
So many people who are not just being P C say UK should chart her own future and will do better that way. Have personal freedom too.
My two sense who knows
Besides UK is Bullish on WIND and other Green energy plans.
So Marco you get no argument with me on this issue but on green energy – we have a real large discussion table – many chairs at table you may be severely Out numbered or Out gunned – Under gen-rated , so open up to green energy Mate !
Hi Silent,
I don’t know why you think I’m opposed to “green Energy”.
As I wrote elsewhere, each time I see an advance in “green” energy technology announced or claimed, in my heart I want to yell “Eureka” and run out to spread the good word.
However, my analyst’s brain tells me to look more closely, examine all the facts and listen to more than one source of information.
Perhaps, like you, I’ve an advantage over advocates like Craig etc, having actually worked in clean tech industries and invested in clean technology personally.
In Australia, I was an early investor in Solar, both for my city home and country farming property. ( Small scale Wind has been used in Australian farming for over 100 years !)
I was among the first, and still remain part of a very small number, who installed waste heat recovery technology from both hot water waste and air-conditioning.
On our family estate in the UK, I built a biomass generation system which we have expanded to supply not only most of our electricity needs, needs most of our neighboring village. (We also designed and built the distribution infrastructure. Over the years we’ve tweeked and improved the system as newer technology becomes available.
Over the last 30 years, I’ve tried hard to promote clean technology to become commercial feasible.
However, that doesn’t mean I’m oblivious to the problems, limitations, and realities of “green” clean technology.
I cringe whenever I hear or read, wildly optimistic or unrealistic claims about “green’ technology, since inevitably claim prove unrealistic , and investment in clean tech investment becomes harder to sell.
I’m a great believer in leading by personal example. I also try to disconnect environmental issues from political rhetoric or ideology.
I don’t feel the environmental cause has been well served by confusing environmental issues with leftist political rhetoric and ideology. Such attitudes only serve to produce division and resentment.
Like the environment, I don’t care what motivates someone to invest in an EV, electric mower, solar panels,waste heat recovery or other energy efficient technology, is the result that counts.
I applaud President Trump’s recent directive for the defence sector to aid the development of “clean coal” technology and the increase in production of US made high grade metallurgy.
These older industries are still very important, if “clean” technology can be employed to revitalize US production, that’s a huge boon to the environment.
Simply castigating these industries and driving them out of business in the US, might make environmental activists feel ideologically pure and sanctimoniously able to celebrate a “victory” , while buying imported products from the nations where these industries relocated.
The planet is a bio-sphere, simply shifting pollution from one location to another, solves nothing.
I try to remain objective and open-minded. Enthusiasm has it’s place and after persistence, is the best tool in a salespersons kit. But so is listening and understanding the needs and fears of others.
As an Analyst, try to gather all information, positive and negative before making a recommendation. Thus I watch carefully as Warren Buffet invests in “Wind Power” while also heavily investing in rail rolling stock to transport fossil fuel.
Unlike Craig and other environment activists, I remain skeptical of Warren’s sudden epiphany ! I took especial note when Buffet reassured his dubious investors that his Wind power investments were made solely to take advantage of US subsidies and taxpayer support.
I also noticed his support for Federal Democrats would evaporate tomorrow if they dropped opposition to pipelines. Buffet is a very shrewd, astute, but ultimately cynical investor.
Silent, I support any new clean(er) and “green” energy technology. My support is conditional on the ability of the technology to become either commercially feasible or possess overwhelming public benefit.
Silent,
Here’s a link to an article written by the brilliant commentator and politician, Matt Ridley. (I don’t always agree with Matt but his views are always well researched and thought provoking.
http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/wind-still-making-zero-energy/
Marco, Well thanks for sharing your many investments in new technology and solar and even some small wind and that bio mass in damp England sounds interesting.
You done your part and moved the ball down the Filed as we say. . Understand your reluctance to accept some things and your critical analysis approach is needed in this world.
I see a great need to transition away from carbon fuels. Period and I am not going to wait on nuclear follies to change things Bad Bet. Clean coal is not clean nor is it affordable and Billions of R And D $$$ have resulted in that sad situation.
so that is where I am at use carbon fuels them for inputs to R E is not such a bad thing. Homes and offices and stores all have a embedded carbon foot print but we keep building them ??? So why cant we use them to build Re and then get cleaner power!
Thanks for sharing the article by the Matt fella. he makes points about embedded energy and how RE needs coal and oil , to a degree he is right. But we only burn it one time to make the RE Energy.
This contrast drastically with extracting the coal and oil which is dirty, refining it , then burning it to make power causes more pollution in the Aggregate.
so that is the difference. R E stops the polluting Tail of Carbon fuels and embeds it into its technology . Like no waste!
Matt ‘s numbers that we cant make enough due to land constraints.
He may have a point in some locations.
How ever, there are many folks out there that would take him to task.
In the Western parts of Texas and Eastern NM where I roam most of the time Marco.
There is enough land , most non productive for anything just snakes, buzzards , some rabbits and few mule deer as there is not enough water etc. The cost to pump it by electricity got to high 25 years ago or more.
But Plenty of sun and there is enough Sun and land in this Area to run the entire U S on solar – yes there is sorry Mr Matt . the only constraint is the transmission lines needed to distribute it to the entire country. That is the limiting factor. Why it will not happen.
However, 50 % or more of the US population lives within 100 miles of the East or the WEST coast a perfect Convergence for off shore wind with local demand to make a real difference. Excessive transmission costs are minimized . Our DOE has studied the East coast and we have 88 GW or maybe 250 GW as the wind turbines are getting bigger etc. Share this lil Green Energy fact with Matt. 250 Gw is close to 25 % of US demand.
So solar DG has a real place in the equation and Matt needs to travel out to Texas and take a survey, some pictures, go see ERCOT and review their data on wind , solar and the other generation and who is contributing to the Peak load and what the future holds.
they can share the Economics and the reliability and the money keeps flowing into the sector and it is not all tax credit driven.
Just a few of my thoughts Matt does make some intellectually stimulating points but the answer cant be so slanted.
You take care over there in AUSSIE LAND ; Brexit is not all bad like the Groupies say . Things will work out . take care
Anyone, brilliant or otherwise, can cherry-pick stats that make wind look like a failure. It’s 5% of the U.S. grid-mix as we speak, and that’s steadily growing. Almost all of this has happened in the last 10 years. That’s certain;y not “making zero energy,” now is it?
“Anyone, brilliant or otherwise, can cherry-pick stats that make wind look like a” success.
Suppose that we had enough wind generation capacity to supply five times our peak demand. Even then, because of the intermittent nature of wind power, there would be intervals during which the wind would not be able to provide sufficient power. Because of an inadequate database, we don’t know how long those intervals would be or by how much the wind would fall short.
Building an adequate database to evaluate wind power potential adequately would require installing wind sensors at many of the locations where building wind farms would be practical. Then the data would have to be carefully analyzed to determine how often and by how much wind power would fall short.
Presently we are doing nothing more than guessing because of an inadequate database and there seems to be no commitment to do an adequate analysis.
Many people see me as eccentric because I require adequate information before approving the spending of billions of dollars. Others require nothing more than guessing and making nice-sounding positive statements.
A new wind turbine is installed in the US every 2.4 hours.
Craig that is a great fact to share
Lawrence has returned and he shared the dismal facts that SEAN countries are being charmed b the dirty coal ( clean coal is a oxymoron term) interesting. but in this world folks are free to their own Illusions or Positions. so support it if you want. that part of the world is completely not relative to my reality or world have no interest in those folks. Have other priority’s that are more relevant as do most folks that I know and interact with.
let them have it. I say if they want to go that way let them.
I appreciate most technologies and see the need for a decent MIX – but Clean coal, current coal and dirty coal is all the same – its coal. its the past time to move forward.
Go ask the PRC government they are finally clamping down on their State governments that keep building more coal and funding it not for the dirty electrons , there is a excess of them. They did it for jobs short term thinking. coal can employ lots of folks in the supply chain.
Employed people prevents riots and revolutions and social disarray etc. so part of Coal s support is from the jobs sector argument.
China PRC is going the other direction Lawrence they have the advantage of knowing how to do big nuke and mix in wind and solar. China’s gas reserves are not huge so importing Aussie Gas of Russian Gas is what they do . but coal use has been reduced and the Government Plans say it is structural not a political whim….
time will tell…
I like your stat on Wind going up every 2 hours same thing in the US and the World.
Some more stats are coming Frank. There are many companies doing the site test evaluation for wind and solar etc. these firms and high tech services did not exist at the level of precision 10 years ago. But now they do. Computerized and remote monitoring for real time adjustments all which combine to maximize the sites for generation .
So your observations are out of touch w reality Frank. its being Done. And keeps getting better and the investors who fund projects now are making decisions on projects based on the data.
so fait accompli !!! Another Strawman issue The energy Mix is evolving and lots of different choices are on the Table! Choice ! Time will tell.
good wishes Lawrence in SE Asia. I realize the Aussies like Money and want to export more coal … it shapes the View I am sure.
Craig,
” Anyone, brilliant or otherwise, can cherry-pick stats that make wind look like a failure.”
Well equally, anyone, brilliant or otherwise, can cherry-pick stats that make wind look like a success !.
@Craig and Contributors
As well intentioned and passionate as you are about the subject of solar and wind power over a long period which is to be admired, your comments are becoming increasingly out of touch and simply don’t stack up against current thinking at the international policy making level and what’s actually gaining traction and being implemented in highly populated regions worldwide (except in the USA of course which is successfully bucking the international Energy Equation trends at the moment it seems).
Early adopters of solar and wind energy are not all happy campers with many of their decisions in retrospect (except in the USA). No one can turn back the clock though, so there are many energy policy decision makers who have little alternative than to keep on making a square peg appear to be able to occupy a round hole in the energy equation context.
Generally that’s OK though, we are all familiar with and ultimately forgiving of stranded capital assets expenditure, commercial non-viability is often only exposed over time.
Let’s look at an example hot off the press (17/05/2017) in the ASEAN Region that might surprise you and many of your contributors, and unfolding this week, which seems to be diametrically opposed to your viewpoints on solar and wind power technologies being worthy of serious consideration globally as reliable and useful high capacity national grid participant technologies, particularly for those developing nations yet to be industrialized to modern era standards such as Africa for example.
ASEAN covers a land area of 4.4 million square kilometres, 3% of the total land area of earth. ASEAN territorial waters cover an area about three times larger than its land counterpart or about 9% of the earth’s surface. The 10 member countries of ASEAN have a combined population of approximately 625 million people which equates to about 8.8% of the world’s population, and twice that of the population of the USA.
Collectively ASEAN nations have just released a report (17/05/2017) which states that their collective energy polices about to be made law will be framed about national power grids across all 10 countries being supplied by clean coal generation technologies. Solar and wind energy has not featured at all in this international energy security and capacity growth policy framework with the exception of some (special case small scale projects that are perfectly suited to renewables).
I know ASEAN and SE Asian countries.
I know their commitment to lowering GHG and their commitment to Climate Change.
I also know their commitment to advancing their prosperity and modernising their economies through modern era reindustrialisation.
I know that they see a massive increase in the availability of affordably power to their citizens, communities, cities, businesses and new are energy intensive industries coming on stream soon, as the major key to their future growth and prosperity.
I know the “technology pulse” of the people and the decision makers in this region of the world , and I work in several of them installing solar and battery (very occasionally small scale wind) off grid systems to provide various much needed (fit for purpose) supply services. Most recently a 10KVA off grid system to drive a grain milling machine in an energy starved location in the Philippines. The list is long.
Here are the opening paragraphs of the ASEAN report:
“The delivery of affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity plays a central role in improving living standards and unlocking economic potential. Over the coming years, few places will this be more true than in the ten countries that make-up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).”
“ASEAN’s preference for coal is forecast to continue as it remains the most economic source of long-term baseload generation. The IEA forecasts that the installed capacity of coal will increase nearly 150% from 2013 levels to 163 GW by 2035, covering over 34% of total power plant capacity in the region. Coal is expected to overtake natural gas by 2030 to become the largest source of power capacity.”
“In terms of generation, the IEA forecasts a three-fold increase in coal-fuelled generation from 255 TWh in 2013 to 920 TWh in 2035. As a result, the share of coal-fuelled generation in total electricity generation is expected to increase from 32% in 2013 to 48% in 2035.”
“Coal will be an important guarantor for sustained growth in ASEAN’s Energy Equation”
Here is the report titled: THE ROLE OF LOW EMISSION COAL IN DRIVING A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURE
http://www.aseanenergy.org/events/past-events/ace-wcas-joint-report-launch-jakarta-17-may-2017/
As you already know Craig I am an energy generation technology agnostic and therefore totally supportive of any energy generation technology that satisfies the “global energy generation imperative” fully. Which is of course:
A national principal generation technology that must be able of course to guarantee massive clean, safe, and low cost base-load power 24/7 to all people; businesses; those major industries necessary to industrialize undeveloped nations to a modern standard rapidly and in particular new age power intensive industries coming on stream, whilst at the same time reduce generation GHG emissions to insignificant levels permanently.
You are the wrong man for the right time for the job Craig and you are not helping bring any clarity or expansive thought to your body of readers and contributors, and that is a disservice and lost opportunity, and how about making some changes mate, we are after all in the same boat!
Lawrence Coomber
Lawrence,
I wouldn’t say Craig is the “wrong man” ! He’s definitely the right man, just sometimes his perspective may be inadequate or seen through an ideological prism, but definitely the right man !
There are occasions when Craig lacks objectivity or an impartial analytical approach, but that’s true of most passionate advocates.
Without passionate advocates, very little would get done ! Even when wrong or inaccurate the passion makes people debate and think about issues. Advocates raise awareness.
Craig is definitely the right man, at the right time, just sometimes he strays into irrelevancies or backs the wrong horse.
But he’s always the right man 🙂
Mate Marco I like how you find a place for Craig and he is the right man….he has the vision and energy that energy Transformation needs and the same could be said for others too..
Its a Mix and the constant discounting of the 2 fastest largest growing sources of Generation by some of the commentators is dis heartening
as it counters to the Reality all over Globe.
In India the prices for the tenders to the government some of the bigger venodrs can not compete.
As the price is getting below $1.25 and edging towards $1.00 a watt for solar.
My fear and maybe this is why Lawrence that SE Asian leaders are sorta second guessing their earlier moves with Solar and Wind.
cheap prices can lead to cheap solar and wind projects with out quality gets short changed and I am more than sure that has happened on many places.
china has a National Industrial Policy something the US needs but we are drunk at the foot of the Mythical free market altar of voodoo economics. So we dont invest in that and let foreign markets lead us now!!1 food for thought all you nativists that may be reading.
Their policy means moving many factories to SE Asia to build soalr panels but they are leaving some QA start up practices at home so many industry observers fear low quality may permeate more into the china solar products.
Their low prices have driven down the German, Italians and US manufacturing production w low low china prices.
So another dynamic at play and Lawrence maybe that is why the quality of some of the projects done over there has left below desired results.???perhaps ?
the Irony of Irony may be that SE Asian solar manufacture plants for export to the world – well they may run on Coal fired electricity.
So Craig we got challenges don t we!!1 Coal powered solar manufacturing ….talk about Green Washing !!1
Oh on the road to a cleaner world littered with broken dreams and false prophets and failed policies but we keep on pushing…no going back. We can’t afford to go back the future needs Real change not green Wash!.
OK Marco on reflection I am happy to reverse my unfair comment about Craig being the wrong guy at the helm, and I apologise.
But Craig I would be very happy to see you lift your game please mate.
Try taking a global perspective on Climate Change for example.
Energy science as we go forward is a global issue not a Californian one.
Ponder this for a moment – the US has effectively disenfrachised itself from having any international influence in the pragmatic global energy policy debate, and that is a huge mistake that will be rued by US industry in retrospect.
What’s happening in China and Asia is what you should be focussing on as Marco Polo has indicated.
I dont know if you really have the stomach for that proposition though. If not work on that please because from my vantage no commentator should be seen to not be fully apprised of pragmatic and practical policy thinking and concepts about a global clean energy future beyond the US borders.
Start with the ASEAN pragmatic energy equation policy enunciated this week.
Lawrence Coomber
@ Marco Polo
A little late getting a reply to an earlier posting of yours about ‘furnace fuel oil’ Marco, but yes I served on the old Vung Tau Ferry from 68 – 71.
I have very fond memories of that old girl.
You may remember her previous name was HMS Terrible – which she wasn’t at all, except once crossing the Great Australian Bight in a force 11 beam on. Nasty stuff walking on bulkheads on a carrier!
Lawrence Coomber
Ah, HMAS Sydney, an old Majestic class carrier, even older than her her sibling, HMAS Melbourne.
Yet the already antiquated bulk of both ships, which looked so small and quaint in comparison with the truly awesome might of the US fleet, was still somehow reassuring when tied up at the HMAS Kuttabul dockyards.
I can remember in ’84 when newly elected PM RJ Hawke sneeringly dismissed the idea of purchasing a replacement carrier for HMAS Melbourne or even a large troop carrier like HMAS Sydney.
Next year will be the 50 anniversary of the monumental year 1968. 1968 was a time of great changes, and the peak of ferocity for those fighting in Vietnam. In ’68, the allies militarily won the war in Asia,but the war was lost politically back home.
To a large extent the media contributed to the loss, by completely misrepresenting the Tet offensive.
All ancient history now, but relevant because it was the beginning of a new type of warfare. A repeated model of civil war style conflicts with no clear solutions, rules or objectives. Bitter and always murderous for civilians and combatants (often the same people).
The men who sailed on the old ‘Vung Tau Ferry ‘ didn’t realize the were sailing from the end of one era, into another.
When these young servicemen returned (by a Qantas flight), it was to an Australia they barely recognized. In less than a year or two away, these confused Veterans returned to an Australia where they found themselves despised, forgotten civilians.
I can remember when Ray Simpson, VC, DCM, a world war two, Korean and Vietnam war veteran, a man who collected nearly every medal for courage existing,( including US silver and bronze stars) , outraged RSL members by advocating the admission of Vietnam veterans to the RSL. (Australian Veterans Association).
Of course, Ray was also unpopular with some because his wife was Japanese and he voted for admission of Aboriginal veterans.
A tumultuous year 1968. The world was changing fast, in both great events and thousands of small ways. by the time I returned in 1970, having served from late 1967, Australia was a very different nation for the country I’d left.
Over the next decade whenever I saw the old HMAS Sydney’s in port it brought back memories of a simpler, less complicated time.
She should have been preserved a Museum, not sold for scrap.
@Marco
I knew Ray and his wife well from my time based in Yokosuka, we got on well and not surprisingly enjoyed many (and I emphasise many) Sapporos on hot evenings?
Hi Lawrence,
That’s good to hear. What an honour to have known a true Australian great. Ray was an citizen and nation would be proud to call their own.
It’s sad the world has become a place where fame and recognition is bestowed upon people of little or no real accomplishment, while people of true worth are forgotten and undervalued.
Well yes you are right about that Marco Polo but I can tell you from discussions with Ray (over a fizzy drink or two) that notoriety; fame; recognition, or whatever you want to call it, did not sit comfortably with Ray. He was humility personified and really simply wanted to lead a nondescript and uncomplicated life post Army. It never really happened though.
Lawrence Coomber
Hi Lawrence,
You are so right Lawrence ! The truly remarkable human beings are often quiet achievers, who underestimate their attributes and accomplishments.
Ex Navy guys worldwide are an interesting lot. They have an affinity that trancends past allegiences, and I have experienced this a few times but none more interesting than in 2004 when I was visiting Anzio with my wife Gabriella (a Venetion girl).
The Scharnhorst Ex Navalmans Association were gathered there to celebrate the 60th Anzio invasion (never could figure out why they chose Anzio though).
To make a long story short I ended up an honorary member of their association that day and joined their group in the street march. LOL
Of course I was a lot younger than those guys but they set a challenging drinking pace all day though.
Lawrence Coomber
Hi Lawrence,
The record of the Scharnhorst is distinguished for gallantry and toughness. It was sad that after being reputed as one German warship that always complied with the rules of war and was especially diligent in rescuing enemy sailors, only 36 of her
56 officers and 1,613 enlisted crew were rescued while many survivors were abandoned by the British.
One must also admire the courage of the British armed merchant cruiser Rawalpindi, in her determined, but brief fight with the Scharnhorst.
When HMS Rawalpini encountered Scharnhorst, in company with Gneisenau, Rawalpindi continued signaling the German ships location to the Royal Navy. Despite being hopelessly outgunned, 60-year-old Captain Kennedy refused to surrender, instead sent his last message, “We’ll fight them both, they’ll sink us, and that will be that. Good-bye” !
In the hopeless battle that followed, surprisingly Rawalpindi managed to land hits on the Scharnhorst before being sunk.
Curiously, only 37 of 274 crew survived, although despite the risk, the German ships were diligent in rescuing survivors.
An interesting lot indeed !
Hi Marco and also your Aussie mate Lawrence
enjoyed your exchange about your army and navy days and Lawrence bouts of Street drinking in Italy – Sounds like you have good memories and this RAY fella was a cool person to hang with…
So you call the drinks the lil fizzies !! May I ask is it GIN Fizzies??
What was the verdict on the Barrier Reef or Coral Whitening off the coast of Australia Your daughters science project what did they conclude.
Marco the Royal Navy has a High record in being civilized as does the Army etc. so I am sure there were too many German subs in the area when the Scharnorst was hit and that limited how much time they could spend trying to rescue German sailors. .
My memory tells me this but I could be wrong. I thought that ship got back to Port and both were just bombed out later on the Western coast of France by the RAF ??? some times our reading s run together .
Anyways good to read the Banter between the Two Aussies you two should lead some Aussie WW 2 reunions before everyone dies off. time is so fleeting.
We may have different reference points of navigation towards energy but I respect and am glad you both survived the War experiences. Your discussion of some of your Mates is nice to hear – Good Humanity.
The Germany thing – yes they can make large amounts on certain days but they need more balance in their program and improvements. We shall see.
new Zealand announced a possible major Geo Thermal deposit in mid part of the country now that would be just Great for them – good stable firm load. The reason its promising is that it is at a relatively shallow depth of 1,200 or 1,400 feet down. this contrasts most favorably with the typical 6,000 to 8,000 plus feet to get to the Real of drilling costs Hot Earth deposits. So maybe this will be economical for New Zealand.
In the states – ERCOT ( Texas Grid 83,000 megawatts) is reaching days with close to 50 % RE energy wind and solar and on weekends it exceeds 50 % in conservative Oil and Gas Texas. Iowa is exceeding 50 % Wind contribution w NO issues.
Thi sis occurring in our SW Power Pool. large area.
The South West Power Pool which runs from Oklahoma North to Canada and includes all those Great Plains states and East to Missouri and down to La and Arkansas. so a large area of the US.
Well their System Operator s thought their limit for RE onto the Grid was going to be 35 to 40 % penetration level. Now they are absorbing over 50 % and no stability issues or frequency Issues Like Aussie land .
So mates send your engineers to the States- we can still do Power Line Engr right! lots of other things well we lost them to the bits and bytes and twitter reality !!
They now state they can go as high as 70 % Wind onto their SWPP Power Pool .
The land mass creates natural load diversity. But the Electric Grid Operator has made the investments on their Transmission and SCADA systems to manage Change properly over the past 10 years.
So that means MORE WIND in the Heartland of America and also Texas all built with private money.
Just had to get that in since there are no Lil fizzies here for me to enjoy so I will pull out the Chianti ! cheers across the oceans and Waves – you drill for Geo thermal and solve all this . HA HA
Getting 50% or 75% of electrical power from non-CO2 emitting sources is not good enough. As global demand for power increases by about four times (estimates differ) as poor countries seek to lift their people out of power, it will be necessary to get about 90% of our power from non-CO2 emitting sources. Without huge amounts of storage, i.e., enough storage to supply most of the power for weeks when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing, we cannot achieve 90% of power from solar and wind sources. Obviously the amount of storage required would vary considerably by location.
Also consider the amount of energy used that is not electrical, such as energy used for transportation, heating, manufacturing (including steel manufacturing), etc. 90% of that will also have to come from non-CO2 emitting sources.
Although there are those who disagree, Dr. James Hansen and other scientists firmly believe that we cannot reduce CO2 emissions adequately without nuclear power. Renewables do have their place but with currently available technology renewables cannot supply sufficient reliable power for most large prosperous countries. Although improvements in storage technology could make it possible for renewables to do the job, it would be unwise to depend on something that does not currently exist and may never exist.
Yes Frank you cite some good estimates of what is needed.
Some of the developing nations will definitely increase their usage and need non co 2 power.
Much of the developed world will continue to reduce usage per sq ft. Demand growth in the US is mostly flat and our population is still growing.
I think there w be some load growth but not what happened in 1950 thru mid 1980’s that is over in US.
net Zero type buildings going up all over Forget what the cheap home builders in Albq who get away with using migrant labor and laughing all the way to the bank…. building energy nonefficient bldgs
EV growth may be the new Frontier for Elec utility to increase sales. But small home grown solar ccan handle the home charging w / o the utility. also when the big nukes retire in numbers in 2030 ‘ s there needs to be a non CO 2 replacement power so lets see if those SMR ‘s can join the party.
As I wrote to Marco and Lawrence and I should have added your name.
The forecasting , siting , real time tweak ing , gear and blades and higher tower and larger rotors have raised capacity factors to close to 37 % average and exceeding 45 % in certain locations , off shore will be mid 40 to mid 50 %. And that is all one needs to run a grid with gas back up. period.
The solar guys can top out around 36 % during peak load times ( key point during peak load times that is what is most important not base load.)
I know 90 5 capacity factors make one sleep well at nite. Well the new paradigm no need it use a MIX. to get the same thing. that is my entire point and most current statistics in the Power Industry and the system operators confirm that.
Take those two technologies an marry them to GAS which is what is happening and Viola ! we got decent cleaner Grid.
The other technologies including SMR s are icing on the cake and could run at night and turn off some gas. End use though in US going down.
Those small countries growing yeah they may need more power and EV s will need more power but solar and batteries can handle that.
So when the Sun no shine or wind no blow then the others can filling the gaps , but it is not as dire as one thinking along the old lines may think. There is much net zero structures going up in the US and usage per sq foot going down down. The average load factor in the United States is now below 50 % for all utilities . not very good . so much for big base load ???
Frank this is what happens when a country exports 66 % of its factories over the past 25 years and we destroyed a lot of base load power needs we once had. CHP is another wild card Frank.
I respect Mr Hansen and he is right about many things. I agree with him much . But he is not a Electrical Power professional he is a climate scientist first.
So what ever the future holds yes it needs to be as non emissions as possible. How we get there is not clearly known at this time. As I say over and over The SMR fellas better quit talking and start producing before other technologies leave them so far behind its is not able to get Investment dollars. That could happen.
Big nukes is looking like coal dead. .If the Fiasco Nuclear Follies going on in Georgia and S Carolina now and Westinghouse bankruptcy is not settled properly its curtains for Big Nukes in the US no matter what the other countries do or dont do. Public rejection will be too strong as will the lack of trust by BANKs the guys with the money!!! The Gen Y , Millenials etc have no historical knowledge of the nuclear industry except its cost over runs. They already feel cheated by boomers and Gen xers and the like – so when those De commissioning costs come due and they are on the way it will send a Shock wave in those stats. The people who voted for all these nukes w be long gone to heaven. the young will no have the historical sense of value – struggling for the right power words but I think you get what I am alluding to. The new young voter base is digital generation and dont get big concrete plumbing projects. They are de centralized mentally now. Think about what I am saying i am making social observations
take care
Hi Frank,
As Silent points out, young voters do not always understand complex issues. They tend to support concepts they think should be right, rather than ask if they’re even possible or economically feasible.
Scientific ‘consensus’ has become another method of blending political ideology with scientific theory.
An example of this kind of well intentioned thinking has become the acceptance by scientific consensus and popular thinking, for our species to have originated in Africa.
The appeal is understandable and plays emotionally to white guilt. The idea of humans beginning in Africa seems so right, and provides an excellent counter to racism.
Recent discoveries showing our species (like most mammals) originated from Eurasia, with the earliest known humanoid developing in Europe, just seems so unfair, and morally wrong.
Increasingly, the evidence would appear to rule Africa out. As would be expected left wing academic’s and students across Europe demand all such research cease and proponents of such theories be silenced !
Although I’m not a fan of “What’s up with that”, it’s contributors do help point out the folly of too easily believing what you want to believe.
Eric Worrall and James Delingpole set out to demonstrate in their words, ” random garbage, some of it computer generated, can pass academic peer review providing it seems to conform to left wing social prejudices about masculinity, capitalism and climate change “.
The hoaxers began with the preposterous proposition;
” The androcentric scientific and meta-scientific evidence that the penis is the male reproductive organ is considered overwhelming and largely uncontroversial.
“Climate change and the conceptual penis – Now here are the consequences of hypermasculine machismo braggadocio isomorphic identification with the conceptual penis more problematic than concerning the issue of climate change. Climate change is driven by nothing more than it is by certain damaging themes in hypermasculinity that can be best understood via the dominant rapacious approach to climate ecology identifiable with the conceptual penis “.
From there the “authors” constructed a 3,000 word “paper” consisting of utter nonsense posing as academic scholarship. They then submitted this ‘paper’ to a respected, peer-reviewed social science academic journal which accepted and published the ‘paper’.
The peer reviews, many from respected academics, were overwhelmingly supportive ! Many academics wrote to one another urging peer support for this “important research”.
The hoaxers were even offered academic grants to continue their work proving climate change is all about the penis !
Silent, is passionate about the field and technology where he has found not only employment but a cause in which to believe.
That sort of enthusiasm is great! It doesn’t necessarily make him right, but at least he cares and is trying to improve life on our planet.
frank well now some of the Postings are dis appearing and I seem to have lost your last Posts and mate Marco s also.
I have no idea what is up take care i sent one on International uranium symposium in Casper Wyoming this summer maybe you get it.
Mate Marco and Frank
Well that interesting example of politically motivated fake science is typical of the confusion we live in. No wonder folks are doubting so called experts these days.
Global Warming is some how related to penis exhalations??
sounds like these scientists have run out of important things to occupy their Minds???
Thanks for the info on the Great barrier Reefs – so its a mixed bag of evidence so far. china ships pass thru it and some of it is growing at same time.
is it actually dying being bleached out as we hear from time to time in the media?
Marco thanks for agreeing with my position that so called clean coal is not really clean after all.
I agree how ever that most coal plants built since mid 1990’s in the states I can t speak for other nations but the newer coal plants I know had reduced most emissions by over 75 5 of the old base line coal plants. That is good progress. I am not talking about any carbon capture just good SOX and NOX and also Mercury Reductions by a big amount. There are some wet processes that catch some of the carbon but not much.
The R & D plants in US that tried to capture all the carbon and either store it under ground or ship uit off in pipelines have not worked out and billions have been spent in this area. Several pilots were cancelled mid stream.
The only exceptions I am aware of is the new kemper plant in Miss. it is having start up pains and its gassifiers have faile din start up mode Massive cost over runs and the electricity is way above market prices so it may be a Black elephant at the end of the day.
The old Great Plains fuel plant in ND is the only one that has run a long time it send s CO 2 to Canada for oil extraction ( EOR) .
but it sends emissions into the sky but does capture many residuals like sulfur for resale into the fertilizer market etc.
Frank your concerns about not having enough power to meet growing demand is valid.
We will have to see if my solar and wind friends and others can pick up some improvement. The other technologies need to step up and produce and quit talking.
Now if the Trumpster was real and had some vision for the US ..let alone the World…then he would to a top to bottom review at Full speed on the NRC in the Us. Find out where they are at with permitting analysis / paralysis and get that bottle neck cleared up.
Also hire some young best and brightest so that the nuclear intellectual knowledge is RE Charged. Marco picked up what i was just scratching at. We are losing our Institutional knowledge of nuclear technology other than the military usage.
Get the NRC the funding it needs and the related agencies so they can get things done Faster .
The private sector investors for SMR s need the path way clearly established for progress to be made. sitting around wringing ones hands and lamenting the demise of the Genie will not stop the slide.
There needs to be a national Push in this area. and determine once and for all if the SMR path is viable.
I see where Ernest Monitz former Obama DOE head and MIT Director is now on the board with a small fusion reactor start up in the Massachusetts area. I forget their name. So maybe that technology will advance from its current circle of analysis paralysis cycles.
Till that time I pursue some solar and end use efficiency lil projects small part of the Bigger picture . That is all one can do is try to make positive impact with what time we are given on this Earth.
With each passing sunset , funeral for long time friend or colleague or passing of one of my generations Icons it sets in that we truly are like Dust In the wind – it is all Fleeting adn the opportunity to slow down global warming must not be a fleeting missed opportunity as future generations are counting on us to resolved these issues. We have the technological brainpower and the resources but do we have the political will to get it done. or are we so divided up that we are incapable of Decisive Actions ….the type of Decisive actions and Fortitude that Won WW 2 and other great achievements by Western Powers.
As I speak to these bigger than all of us goals I am saddened and humbled by the bombing last night in Manchester England where innocent folks young people killed viciously by a crazed person …And we are concerned about all this technical solutions to global warming and among st us walks killers . Cowards !
Thanks Marco for understanding my efforts to make a small living trying to advance the goal of green energy…but I remind myself that I am just dust in the Wind . Been Humbled by it All!
Frank we need to demand and receive more from our large Institutions they are not delivering what they could and should…we sufer as a result … Amen
Silent,
Coral bleaching is a puzzling phenomena. The loud cries of horror from visiting Eco-commentators and activists insisting ‘bleaching’ is created by ” Global Warming” causing coastal sea temperatures to rise, doesn’t fit with the existence of the same species of coral living and thriving in the much warmer waters of New Guinea.
It appears the reef is beset my many factors, most quite mysterious. Although Coral are sensitive creatures, and large scale bleaching may look dramatic, coral are also more resilient and rapid adapters than was generally believed.
Over fishing of certain types of top marine predators can affect the reef as this allows smaller species to over populate and either eat the coral or compete for food.
Some times it’s just naturally occurring changes in sea currents.
Interesting, a small world of it’s own.
Silent,
I didn’t mean to imply the Royal navy didn’t do their best. The Scharnhorst was intercepted and sunk during Battle of the North Cape (26 December 1943), by Royal HMS Duke of York and her escorts.
Unlike her sister ships, Scharnhorst was only equipped with 11 inch main armament. Had she received the long overdue 15 inch replacements (like Bismark), the engagement would have been more costly for the Duke of York, The Duke of York was a powerful ship, heavily armed with ten 14 inch main armament and very effective armor.
In comparison to Japanese, Italian, German and American battleships ships, Royal Navy battleships were under-armed having been built to comply with the terms of the London Naval Treaty of 1930.
Marco thanks for updating my memory.
I forgot that those two German ships were attacked off NorWay.
Yes you are so right while the royal Navy at start of the War had the most ships they had complied with that Treaty so their Top of line ships were slightly under armed to what japs and Germans and Italians had with small numbers though.
British strategy was to over come with numbers which they had.
The US cheated too on the Treaty so we had some bigger Gun battleships
The british worked on better torpedos radar radar which Us followed and it allowed us to out manuever an destroy most AXis shipping and their navy.
Those British Air Craft carriers the bigger ones had Steel Decks put on. This came in handy during Operation Task Force 57 in S E Pacific as they sent very large task force to help the Americans finish off the Japs. Jap planes did minimal damage to British Carriers while American carriers two US carriers sailed home for massive deck repairs. The big US carriers still had Wooden Decks a Achilles heel and much damage to the ships was done by fires etc.
Germany had no business wasting precious resources adn time on trying to build up a decent surface fleet – they should have gone all out for more subs more subs and sink more ships and make it harder for allies.
Their last generation of subs had real improved capability that made them tougher and more submersible w bigger snorknel s etc.
Brits needed to put more AA guns on their ships but other wise they were fine. They built some heavy Battleships towards end but saw limited action and most were taken out of service in the 1950 s as they saw it would be Subs, Carriers and decent sized Escorts no more ships of the line.
Marco it is sorta like our energy debate – the days of large base load power plants is ending in most cases. there will be some exceptions.
But the paradigm will be We w use Gas , solar , wind and Geo thermal and CHP, tidal mAybe , some more Hydro and Bio mass, maybe SMR ‘s if they can get it together.
That is the way foreward and those that dont get that are living in the forlorn days of the past large Battle ships of th eLine. great in their Day but not needed now.
Just like massed Tank armies like WW 2. Now its all Fast , Mobile heavy Air attack shock troops that will win battles. Long distance
Roman Candle rockets too. replace the guns. as does Airpower and soon Drones . All the small ships will hav eover the Horizon Drone attack capability soon.
sure the Brits fished out all they could due to German counter attack.,
another Coup of excellence for royal navy.
Hey Silent,
I loved the comparison between battleship an large generating plants, a clever ploy !
Hi Silent,
Sorry, got carry away with battles of yesteryear !
My daughter,her friends and some serious scientists spent almost 120 days enjoying studying the Great Barrier Reef.
I surprised and very please to witness the level of responsibility and organizational skill she has shown in managing quite a complicated logistical exercise. Not an easy task, given the disparity in the ages of expedition members and although she had assistance from the Captain and Crew, she managed to avoid any real untoward behavior or incidents, or any major feuds.
Her group has now returned to their respective Universities and are in the process of correlating their observations and investigation with data from other sources. I’m told this process should take the rest of the year.
She kept a running journal of her observations regarding each member of the expedition, as she is particularly interested in how much the influence of the information acquired from this point on will change the views of expedition members formed during the expedition.
As a Behavioral Science and Psychology student, she is very interested in the group thought processes, influences and motivations.
She often displays her mother’s passion and looks, but her personality is more analytical and practical.
Still, I’m glad I could assist the group to study one of the worlds great wonders.
Mate Marco no problem enjoyed reading both you and Lawrence C share good memories on your noble soldiering days and your fellow Ray who liked those lil fizzies !
glad to hear your daughter’s Barrier Reef group made it back and now they tabulate the numbers and observations they made.
Maybe the report will make big news and we learn some thing.
Does Aussie land have any Geo thermal potential so you can dial down that coal ???
take care
Hi Silent,
Thanks for your interest, although 120 days cruising the Wonders of the Greet Barrier Reef on a large luxury motor-sailer, is hardly arduous ! One of the problems confronting the reef is the rapid expansion of cities along the coast and resorts on the islands.
What’s really scary, is the increasing passage through the Reef of giant PRC container vessels and huge coal ships.
One thing that has emerged from the groups observations is the lack of evidence supporting erosion of the islands. In fact, on the contrary some island have actually increased in size. ( turtle Island has grown at least 10 % in the last century.)
Australia doesn’t possess New Zealand’s abundant rainfall and volcanic activity, so although some Geo-thermal research has been undertaken, the logistics are difficult.
Australia exports most of it’s coal.
You are correct when you say there’s no such thing as clean coal, but the latest coal fired plant technology has reached the point where coal may have less emissions than gas.
The world is a bio-sphere, it doesn’t really matter where the emissions are created. Small countries like Denmark who rely on other nation for energy intensive products produced by other nations, are still part of the bio-sphere.
MATE MARCO I tried to find your last Post but it is not showing UP and similar with Frank . Who knows maybe the PC CROWD IS SUBVERTING OUR DIALOGUE across the thousands of Miles ??/!!
i sent Frank the name of the International URANIUM SYMPOSIUM HELD IN CASPER WY tHIS SUMMER . THEY HAVE SPEAKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. YOU CAN GOOGLE IT.
you liked my clever split the T maneuver using Royal navy as proxies for advancing the decentralized model of generation going forward.
You and Lawrence could be hunkered down manning your lines and Silent Running would be relentless in advancing into your defensive positions causing great concerns on where we show up next and better yet
what will happen next !
Our turbines keep spinning no matter what ! later on have good days that is so interesting about the Coral reefs adn how thye are alive and maybe over fishing has led to over population of the species that feed on them ??/ how complex things are when we take the time to study and make attempts at technically under standing it. Interesting thanks
Marco some how the order of responses gets out of place here ??? Oh well I sent a reply to your nice posting on the results of the Barrier Reef expedition.
I like your concept that the World is a Bio sphere it is all circular in my book too !
trust you and Frank can find the other post I did just a few ago. later on
Marco and Silent,
I have attempted to post a reply but somehow it does not appear. It’s saved in a .doc file but about three attempts to post it have failed. Suggestions?
Frank I am not sure.
this time the site took me to your most recent Post. the last two times it did not and it dropped me into Marco further up the chaian in this discussion where we are going around manyissues. Which is cool.
Suggest that you compose in woed and then access the site then try to drop in from Word. see if that frees it up?
I sent Craig a flyer for the uranium conf this Summer in Wyoming – it is International symposium w speakers from around the globe.
google International Uranium 2017 conference
You, Marco and Lawrence may find it informative.
while my favorites are solar , wind and energy efficiency I hold room for advanced nuclear options should they perform as they may be needed more to meet the gaps. When the others can fulfill all needs.
hope to see your Posts Frank take care
Silent, that’s a good suggestion for which I thank you, but that’s exactly what I had done. When responding to a long post, I find it works best to compose in word so I can have the post to which I’m responding right next to what I’m writing. Also, if a post fails, I have not lost it.
I shall try posting it again in a few minutes, but the system may tell me that it’s a duplicate. Somehow it seems to hold on to posts without posting them.
Silent, the post again failed. I have no idea what the problem is.
Hi Frank yes at least your short message is getting thru.
Send Craig a note . Maybe he needs to talk to the monitor or gate keeper ?? something is up.
Have not heard back from Marco so dont know the extent of this is.
take care
Silent,
Yes I’ve noticed I’m not receiving my alerts anymore. I sent Craig a note, but maybe he decided I’m too deplorable 🙂
LOL. I haven’t sent alerts recently. Thanks for the reminder.
Well Friday begins well
frank Marco and myself we are not on Craig s deplorable List ….we covered the World in this long running session.
Maybe the sun is shining in Germany after all ….must get back to some more work and maybe its good that Craig is not sending out anything for awhile we need a break. Share that Uranium Info i shared Frank and Lawrence and Marco may like it others too ?
later on everyone
Sometimes the sun actually does shine in Deutschland, but it is often cloudy there. Perhaps I should follow the weather reports for Deutschland to get a more accurate idea of just how common it is for it to be cloudy.
Yes Sir Frank
I miss those nice sunny days in Albq with cool sun shine as it cools off when sun sets nice blend up there and you have lots of sun.
If Germany had sun like NM or West Tx then they would be generating lots more … things showing up in line so guess its working good again take care
Silent,
Right. There’s nothing like riding a bicycle 25+ miles in the sun when the temperature in the shade is 95F (35C) which I have done. According to newspaper warnings, when the temperature is > 80F, those of us over 70 years olde (and I’m well over that) are supposed to stay inside where it is air conditioned, but I refuse to act my age.
I think a good case could be made for solar powered air conditioning using an absorption cycle.
Here is a link to an article about a solar powered air conditioning system:
https://www.treehugger.com/solar-technology/small-scale-solar-powered-air-conditioning-is-here-in-spain-anyways.html
The following comment appears at the end of the article:
“If you are worried about being cool at night, perhaps you can add an ice bear.”
It indicates that, like many writers, he doesn’t fully understand the subject. The water – lithium bromide absorption system is incapable of generating temperatures below freezing since the refrigerant is water vapor. Therefore, it could not produce ice for storage. Even so, the system may have merit.