Don't forget - oil and gas get $$billions in tax breaks On Wed, Oct 7, 2015 at 11:47 AM, G Mann via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote:
> Federal Subsidies: A scheme by which you use electricity today with the > cost being pushed forward to be paid by yet unborn citizens. > > In legal principle, a contract of adhesion. Specifically named as a > violation of the Constitution of USA. > > On Wed, Oct 7, 2015 at 8:08 AM, Andrew Strasfogel via Mercedes < > mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > > > 4. Renewables throw down: Wind competitive with coal, solar creeping up > > <http://go.questexweb.com/s04d0QG0BQub0M4qj010e0F> > > By Barbara Vergetis Lundin > > <http://go.questexweb.com/ldQqc000QGB04F1ej0u050M> Comment > > <http://go.questexweb.com/ldQqc000QGB04F1ej0u050M> | > > <http://go.questexweb.com/jqdQ0G1QM00jB40uFe60d00>Forward > > <http://go.questexweb.com/jqdQ0G1QM00jB40uFe60d00> | > > <http://go.questexweb.com/TeuMd000G004BQ710QjqeF0>Twitter > > <http://go.questexweb.com/TeuMd000G004BQ710QjqeF0> | > > <http://go.questexweb.com/u8u000BQjQ0e4f01d0qMFG0>Facebook > > <http://go.questexweb.com/u8u000BQjQ0e4f01d0qMFG0> | > > <http://go.questexweb.com/DM9j40g0FQB00d0GQu100eq>LinkedIn > > <http://go.questexweb.com/DM9j40g0FQB00d0GQu100eq> > > > > This year has brought a significant shift in the generating cost > comparison > > between renewable energy and fossil fuels. > > <http://go.questexweb.com/s04d0QG0BQub0M4qj010e0F> > > > > Credit: ggyykk > > > > In some parts of the world, onshore wind energy has become fully > > competitive with gas and coal, and solar is closing the gap, according > to a > > levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) analysis for the second half of 2015 > > by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). > > > > Levelized costs take into account not just the cost of generating a > > marginal megawatt-hour of electricity, but also the upfront capital and > > development expense, the cost of equity and debt finance, and operating > and > > maintenance fees. > > > > The Bloomberg analysis shows that while onshore wind and crystalline > > silicon photovoltaics -- the two most widespread renewable technologies > -- > > have both reduced costs this year, costs have gone up for gas- and > > coal-fired generation. > > > > In fact, the global average LCOE for onshore wind fell from $85 per > > megawatt-hour in the first half of the year to $83 in the second half > while > > crystalline silicon PV solar fell from $129 to $122, according to the > > report. > > > > At the same time, the LCOE for coal-fired generation increased from $66 > per > > MWh to $75 in the Americas, $68 to $73 in Asia-Pacific, and $82 to $105 > in > > Europe; the LCOE for combined-cycle gas turbine generation rose from $76 > to > > $82 in the Americas, $85 to $93 in Asia-Pacific and $103 to $118 in > Europe, > > Middle East and Africa (EMEA). > > > > "Our report shows wind and solar power continuing to get cheaper in 2015, > > helped by cheaper technology but also by lower finance costs," said Seb > > Henbest, head of EMEA, Bloomberg New Energy Finance. "Meanwhile, coal and > > gas have gotten more expensive on the back of lower utilization rates, > and > > in Europe, higher carbon price assumptions following passage of the > Market > > Stability Reserve reform." > > > > Among other low-carbon energy technologies, offshore wind reduced its > > global average LCOE from $176 per MWh to $174, but still remains > > significantly more expensive than wind, solar PV, coal or gas, according > to > > BNEF, while biomass incineration saw its levelized cost stay steady at > $134 > > per MWh. Nuclear, like coal and gas, has very different LCOE levels from > > one region to another, but both the Americas and the Europe, Middle East > > and Africa region saw increases in levelized costs to $261 and $158 per > > MWh, respectively. > > > > "Generating costs continue to vary greatly from region to region, > > reflecting influences such as the shale gas boom in the US, changing > > utilization rates in areas of high renewables penetration, the shortage > of > > local gas production in East Asia, carbon prices in Europe, differing > > regulations on nuclear power across the world, and contrasting resources > > for solar generation," said Luke Mills, BNEF analyst of energy economics. > > "But onshore wind and solar PV are both now much more competitive against > > the established generation technologies than would have seemed possible > > only five or 10 years ago." > > > > Among the country-level findings, onshore wind is now fully > > cost-competitive with both gas-fired and coal-fired generation, once > carbon > > costs are taken into account, in the UK and Germany. In the UK, onshore > > wind comes in on average at $85 per MWh in the second half of 2015 > compared > > to $115 for combined-cycle gas and $115 for coal-fired power; in Germany, > > onshore wind is at $80 compared to $118 for gas and $106 for coal. > > > > In China, onshore wind is cheaper than gas-fired power at $77 per MWh > > versus $113, but much more expensive than coal-generated electricity at > > $44, while solar PV power is at $109. In the United States, coal and gas > > are still cheaper at $65 per MWh versus onshore wind at $80 and PV at > $107. > > > > "In the U.S., we've known that wind energy can be cheaper than gas in > some > > states, but solar is now inching toward that same milestone," said > > Jacqueline Lilinshtein, BNEF U.S. analyst. "It's surprising how much the > > cost of utility-scale solar PV has dropped in the US. It's now ~$50 per > > megawatt hour if you include federal subsidies. Six months ago, it was > $60, > > so that's a pretty significant drop. We attribute this to lower > > installation and equipment costs fueled by increased competition to build > > before federal subsidies expire." > > > > For more: > > _______________________________________ > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
