Still...
To put that optimistic factoid into proper perspective on a national
level, nuclear energy is still about 10% of the mix and that will not
change soon without a technological breakthrough. Wind will blow past
nuclear soon, so to speak.
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=26912
The good news is that coal may drop under 15% soon and we may see Wind
exceed coal. These trends were already in place but would be subject to
political promises.
The DoE’s "Wind Vision Report" which is probably now in disfavor -
predicted the United States will be able to meet 10 percent of its
electricity needs using wind power by 2020 (unless politics prevents
it). That would put Wind on a par with Nuclear in the big picture.
Not sure that Director Rick Perry has even read that report (or even if
he can read) but curiously, Texas leads the way in Wind (and hot air) -
in fact Wind accounted for 13% of the electricity generated there in the
last 12 months, and it will be more this year.
Surprise, surprise. Some favorable trends have a life of their own, even
in the least expected places.
HLV wrote:
Ten New Nuclear Reactors Connected in 2016, Bringing Generating
Capacity to Highest Ever
For the second year in a row, ten new nuclear reactors started to
generate electricity in 2016, the highest number since the 1980s,
according to the 2017 edition of the IAEA’s Nuclear Power Reactors in
the World.
