Willem Post's Blog (674)

World energy consumption is projected to increase to 736 quads in 2040 from 575 quads in 2015, an increase of 28%, according to the US Energy Information Administration, EIA.

See URL and click on PPT to access data, click on to page 4 of PowerPoint

https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/ieo/

Most of this growth is expected to come from countries not in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, and…

As more details emerge about Hunter Biden’s emails and Biden Family connections to China, Russia, Ukraine and other countries that would provide most of the metals and minerals America would need under any Green New Deal, we should contemplate how much some families, companies and countries would be enriched by the GND – while others would lose their jobs, see their energy prices skyrocket, and watch their favorite scenic vistas and wildlife habitats get blanketed by wind turbines, solar…

Vermont has a Comprehensive Energy Plan, CEP. The capital cost for implementing the CEP would be in excess of $1.0 billion/y from 2017 to 2050, 33 years, as stated in Energy Action Network annual report for 2015.

It would take $1.25 billion/y from 2022 to 2050, 28 years, and probable much more to overcome the Biden 5 to 6 percent inflation. See URLs.

Excluded are financing and replacements of short-life systems, such as EVs (10y), heat pumps…

The Vermont House overrode Governor Scott's veto of GWSA, and sent it to the Vermont Senate for an override vote

GSWA converts the aspirational goals of the CEP, into mandated goals, with penalties, taxes, fees and surcharges. 

GWSA had been called “must pass this Session”.

Capital Costs to Implement the Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan

In 2015, Energy Action Network, EAN, an umbrella…

VAGARIES OF SOLAR  

In summer, expensive, weather and season-dependent, highly subsidized, variable, intermittent solar dozes off in late afternoon/early evening, during peak electricity demands, sleeps all night, and does not wake up until about mid-morning the next day, becomes very active around midday creating DUCK curves, especially on sunny days, then dozes off again in late afternoon/early evening, during peak electricity…

Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, VEIC, is involved in “energy solutions for an evolving world”. It helps various, mostly government entities, meet economic and environmental goals with sustainable solutions “designed for impact”. Major areas of interest are energy efficiency, building electrification, transportation electrification, and a clean and flexible grid.

SOLAR IN VERMONT

VEIC states: Vermont is on its way to becoming an advanced…

Based on the sun index level, Vermont is ranked 44th regarding solar power potential, according to a sun index developed for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) using data provided by NREL's Renewable Resource Data Center.

Connecticut and Rhode Island rank 41^st and 38^th. See table 2 of URL

https://neo.ne.gov/programs/stats/inf/201.htm

The sun index is defined as an…

Please note, this article is a short excerpt, with references to tables and the Appendix, from this much longer article. Much additional information is provided in the longer article. Please, also read the longer article.…

Review of Planet of the Humans

Richard Heinberg  (Post Carbon Institute)

April 27, 2020

A few days ago, Emily Atkin posted a…

Pro-logging interests use “Burning Wood is Renewable” as a slogan, a mantra, to assure others all is benign, because it helps save the world, fight global warming, are part of the “solution”, and thus deserves to get subsidies via the Vermont Global Warming Solutions Act.

This article will show burning wood is not anywhere near renewable, if the following is accounted…

Weather-dependent wind and solar often supply too much or too little electricity. The “100%-RE-in-Vermont” folks want to charge the unused electricity in battery systems and discharge it, as needed, during peak demand hours. They propose a $1.2 billion down-payment on “Fortress Vermont”.

- About $900 million would be for new electricity storage systems, during the 2020 – 2025 period, and several $billions thereafter, to implement…

The purpose of this article is to compare the Hydro Quebec electricity prices of exports to New York and New England and the costs of wind and solar, and the prices paid to owners of New England wind and solar systems. The CO2 of wind, solar and hydro are also compared.

This article shows, it is abundantly clear electricity from Hydro-Quebec is far less costly than from New England wind and solar, plus it requires no subsidies and cost shifting.

Reservoir…

Vermont has a Comprehensive Energy Plan, CEP. The capital cost for implementing the CEP would be in excess of $1.0 billion/y for at least 33 years, per Energy Action Network annual report, not counting financing and replacements of short-life systems, such as EVs, heat pumps, battery storage systems, etc. See URLs.

 …

Vermont has a Comprehensive Energy Plan, CEP. The capital cost for implementing the CEP would be in excess of $1.0 billion/y for at least 33 years, per Energy Action Network annual report. See URLs.

http://eanvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/EAN-2015-Annual-Report-Low-Res-Final.pdf …

Vermont has a Comprehensive Energy Plan, CEP. The capital cost for implementing the CEP would be in excess of $1.0 billion/y for at least 33 years, per Energy Action Network annual report. See URLs.

http://eanvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/EAN-2015-Annual-Report-Low-Res-Final.pdf …

After 2015, the method of calculating CO2 absorption by Vermont's forests, etc., was changed to conform with EPA and international standards.

As a result, the higher values of the old method were replaced with the lower values of the new method.

For example, 8.23 million metric ton in 2015 (old) became 4.39 million Mt in 2015 (new), about 47% less.

If Vermont were to reduce overall CO2 to lower levels, then forests would absorb an increasing percentage…

The "Global Warming Solutions Act" bill was passed by the House Energy and Technology Committee on a 7-2 vote and moved to the House Appropriations Committee, which rubber-stamped the bill. A House vote passed the bill, 105 - 37, a few days later. The Senate is next to vote.

GWSA converts the CO2 aspirational goals of the Comprehensive Energy Plan, CEP, to legal mandates. 

GWSA requires state government to come up with…

Go to any Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, etc., parking lot and you see at least 60% four-wheel-drive, and all-wheel-drive SUVs/crossovers/pick-up trucks.

People own these vehicles for many reasons, especially to drive on snowy, icy, hilly, pothole, muddy, rutted roads during cold winters. All-wheel-drive and 200+ range are preferred in Vermont, New Hampshire Maine, etc.

EVs would lose up to 40% of their already-limited range.

A full-battery, 200-mile…

Recently, Vermont Electric Co-op and Highview Power, were musing a liquid air energy storage, LAES, plant, using excess wind electricity generated with wind turbine plants, to be installed, in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, NEK.

Baker-Hughes is an advisor regarding LAES to Highview Power.

Baker-Hughes estimates the all-in, turnkey cost (financing, operating,…