Willem Post's Blog (1,037)

The world’s fossil fuel consumption has been about 78% of all primary energy* for the past 10 years, despite several trillion dollars of investments in RE systems. Current coal consumption is about 8000 million metric ton/y. China and India use about 60%.

* The energy from wells, mines, forests, etc., is called source energy, less exploration, extraction, processing and transport energy = primary energy to power plants, buildings, vehicles, industry,…

SUMMARY OF WORLD CO2eq EMISSIONS; ALL SOURCES AND ENERGY RELATED

https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/summary-of-world-co2eq-emissions-all-sources-and-energy-related

The man-made world CO2eq, energy related, were only about 36.183/53.4 =…

Recently the media reported wind and solar are competitive with coal and natural gas for generating electricity. The Wall Street Journal published an article “Economic impact of wind farms is changing the political dynamics of renewable energy”.

It is of major importance to understand, financial entities, such as Bloomberg and Lazard, hype wind and solar, because they want to promote their financial management services for high-net-worth investors, who are looking to shelter…

This article describes the current global CO2eq emission from all sources, not just energy-related, and the COP21/IPCC goals regarding reducing CO2eq during the 2017 - 2100 period to avoid excessive global warming above pre-industrial (the 1861 - 1880 period). See URL of The Emissions Gap Report 2017.…

During the past 420,000 years, various forces combined to cause 4 major glaciation and thawing cycles. The world temperature was about 2 - 3 C above and about 8 - 9.5 C below, the reference value of the past 10,000 years. The past four cycles indicate, the world, surrounded by outer space at near absolute zero, has a hard time warming up above reference, but a much easier time cooling down below reference, i.e., computer model global warming predictions of 4.3 C above pre-industrial likely…

Should the US stay with COP21 to reduce CO2 emissions or not. The real issues are about international trade, reducing the US trade deficit, improving the US debtor nation status, bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US, and paying for world peacekeeping. The US would be less competitive in world markets if:

- The US invested more in renewable energy systems, such as expensive offshore wind. It would increase its cost structure.

- The US continues to overinvest in…

Recently the media reported wind and solar are competitive with coal and natural gas for generating electricity. The Wall Street Journal published an article “Economic impact of wind farms is changing the political dynamics of renewable energy”.

It is of major importance to understand, financial entities, such as Bloomberg and Lazard, hype wind and solar, because they want to promote their financial management services for high-net-worth investors, who are looking to shelter…

First, I want to commend John Lippman for writing on of the best energy articles in the Valley News. The article is well organized and provides much information that likely was not known to many VN readers.

http://www.vnews.com/Elizabeth-Mine-Solar-Array-Sheds-Light-on-Economics-of-Electricity-12760723

Brightfields Development is developing a 7 MW-DC solar…

This article shows the following:

- Gross state product growth was 13.08% faster than state budget growth, a desirable condition, during the Douglas years,

- GSP growth was 45.5% slower than state budget growth, an undesirable condition, during the Shumlin years.

- The state government needs to decrease the burden of taxes, fees and surcharges on the anemic private sector.

See attached spreadsheet with sources of…

TransCanada, TC, purchased 13 hydro power plants, total capacity 560 MW, on the Connecticut and Deerfield Rivers from bankrupt USGen New England for $505 million in 2005. Almost all of the plants are located in New Hampshire. All plants and their drainage areas are shown on an enlarged map. See URL.

The current Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, licenses of the Wilder, Bellows Falls and Vernon Plants expire in 2018. The renewal process takes about 5…

The original SPEED program, started in July 2010, was repealed and replaced by Act 56 of 2015, the Renewable Portfolio Standard, RPS, act, which requires 55% of utility retail electricity sales to be from renewable sources by 2017; 75% by 2032. The SPEED program replacement is called Standard Offer, SO, as described in 30 VSA 8005b.

SO projects, 2.2 MW or less:

Those projects have a cap of 127.5 MW by 2022; about 60,850 kW, all energy sources, has been…

The US faces two major simultaneous challenges: 

- Reduce the impact of rising prices of energy and other natural resources on US global competitiveness. In 1973 the US was using about 60% more energy per dollar of GDP than other industrialized nations. After 36 years that percentage remains unchanged. The US needs to rapidly reduce that percentage by greatly improving the energy efficiency of buildings, transportation and industries. 

- Stop the increase of…

Vermont has set a voluntary goal to have 90% RE of all primary energy by 2050, not just electrical energy, which is only 35% of all primary energy, as described in the Comprehensive Energy Plan, CEP, of 2016.

Vermont’s goal of attaining 90% of its energy from renewables by 2050 would require capital investments of at least $33.3 billion during the 2017-2050 period, or about $1 billion per year, according to Vermont Energy Action Network’s …

US natural gas production has been steadily increasing from about 20,256 billion cubic feet in 2008 (consumption 23,277 bcf, less imports 3,021 bcf) to about 23,986 bcf in 2012 (consumption 25,502 bcf, less imports 1,516 bcf). In 2012, production was about 40% from shale, and the rest from tight gas, and other sources. The shale share is projected to grow to 43% and 60% by 2015 and 2035, respectively.

Natural gas is good for the US economy because it:

- Is…

The $3.67 million demonstration, low-income housing project, with 7 pre-fabricated duplex units for 14 tenants, $262,000/unit, is located in Waltham, Vermont. Various government and quasi-government entities made cash grants or other donations to the project, totaling about $550,000, to make it a success. 

TESLA POWERWALL 2.0 FOR STABILIZING DISTRIBUTION GRIDS

Tesla markets a wall-hung, 14 kWh Powerwall 2.0 battery unit, with lithium-ion cells made by Panasonic, either in Japan or Nevada. The unit is designed for daily charging and discharging.

The turnkey cost of the unit = $6,200, factory FOB + S & H + Contractor markup of about 10 percent + Misc. hardware + Installation by 2 electricians, say 16 hours @ $60/h = $8,200, or $586/kWh of battery…

The turnkey capital cost of battery systems has been decreasing the past few years. The below table has turnkey capital costs/kWh of some 2016 and 2017 projects. Subsidies, such as cash grants, discounts, investment tax credit, ITC, and 5-year accelerated depreciation, which serve to reduce the cost/kWh, were ignored.

Tesla markets a wall-hung, nominal 14 kWh, available 13.5 kWh, Powerwall 2.0 battery unit, with lithium-ion cells made by Panasonic, either in Japan or Nevada. The unit is designed for daily charging and discharging.

Battery system turnkey capital cost = $6,200, factory FOB + S & H + Contractor markup of about 10 percent + Misc. hardware + Installation by 2 electricians, say 16 hours @ $60/h = $8,200, or $586/kWh. 

This is a Tesla estimate, which…

The EU and US have declared, “Burning wood is CO2-neutral”. East Europe and the US Southeast still have significant areas with forests. Starting about 2005, major parts of these forests have been harvested by means of clear-cutting. In 2016, about 6.5 million metric ton of wood pellets will be shipped from the US Southeast to Europe for co-firing in coal-fired power plants. The EU authorities in Brussels have declared these coal plants in compliance with EU CO2/kWh standards, because biomass…

World Electricity Sector

Worldwide investments in electricity generating plants and grid systems were about $10 trillion, of which about $6.52 trillion for electricity generating plants and about $3.46 trillion for grid system upgrades during the 2000 - 2016 period.

Worldwide investments in renewables electricity generating plants were about $4.2 trillion, of which about $3 trillion for electricity generating plants (wind, solar, hydro, bio, etc.) and…