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Renewables to Rival Coal for Power Generation in 2035

Bloomberg -- Renewable energy is set to rival coal as the main generator of the world’s electricity by 2035 as the costs of technology fall and subsidies rise, the International Energy Agency said.
Wind farms, solar parks and hydroelectric dams are forecast to become the second biggest power generator in 2015 and rise to almost a third of all generation in 2035, a level approaching that of coal, the Paris-based agency that advises 28 nations on energy policy said today in its annual outlook.
“A steady increase in hydropower and the rapid expansion of wind and solar power has cemented the position of renewables as an indispensable part of the global energy mix,” the IEA said. “The rapid increase in renewable energy is underpinned by falling technology costs, rising fossil-fuel prices and carbon pricing,

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Submitted Nov 12, 2012 By: mastermariner

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drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:8,945 Points:752,210 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 13, 2012 9:13:50 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse LOL, MidNJ, that's two questions! The answer to the second question....is yes we do!
MAC48 Champion Author Dallas Posts:1,547 Points:766,840 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Nov 13, 2012 9:03:36 PM Ignore MAC48 Report Abuse Note that the projection by the International Energy Agency (IEA) saying that renewable energy generation of electric power, a.k.a. clean energy, will be almost equal to the electric power generated by coal by 2035 is based on massive governmental subsidies and governmental use mandates such as California’s regulation requiring that 20% of the electric power consumed in California be generated by renewable sources by 2013 before non-attainment penalties kick in. Remember that whenever a "Use Standard" is needed it means that the market, the citizens or both will not support whatever the standard is designed to accomplish. A "Use Standard" is really a use mandate and a mandate is needed because the initiative being standardized is either not wanted by the public, not efficient, not effective, not cost justified or a combination of the previous reasons. Just say no to such foolishness as laws requiring the use of any product or service by using your vote to require that the free market decides what product or services are offered or be prepared to pay dearly in terms of a carbon tax and the loss of freedom of choice. The US national Renewable Fuels Standard has saddled us with the ethanol industry & the very powerful ethanol lobby. Does anyone really want another “ethanol” type debacle in the providing of electric energy in their life?
MidNJ Champion Author New Jersey Posts:7,559 Points:1,173,100 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Nov 13, 2012 5:18:47 AM Ignore MidNJ Report Abuse Dr. Pep, just one question: Why is Texas the largest producer of wind energy (by far) of all the USA states? Do some Texans know something that others don't? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Texas
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:8,945 Points:752,210 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 11:21:49 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse Despite the "scary" sounding numbers posted below by nsdp, the EIA March 14, 2012 reports on coal reserves, which include the USGS PRB (Gillette) study, show total US reserves "estimated to contain 485 billion short tons. In the United States, coal resources are larger than remaining natural gas and oil resources. Annually, EIA reports remaining tons of coal in the demonstrated reserve base (DRB), which is comprised of coal resources that have been identified to specified levels of accuracy and may support economic mining under current technologies." The latest US total annual consumption (2010) shows just over 1,000,000,000 short tons of coal used. The math: 485,000,000,000 / 1,000,000,000 = 485 years Lets say coal usage doubles to 2 billion short tons per year for grins and giggles. 485,000,000,000 / 2,000,000,000 = 242.5 years Ain't math grand? [Edited by: drpepperTX at 11/13/2012 12:24:31 AM EST]
nsdp Champion Author San Antonio Posts:1,117 Points:47,315 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 8:57:27 PM Ignore nsdp Report Abuse DrPepper The USGS used 10,210 data points from new well logs in their 2008 and 2012 updates compared to the Wyoming study which used 1267 well logs. They also have a detailed section debunking a number of prior studies that used flawed analysis of formation trends depths and faulting. The Wyoming study also assumes the removal of the joint use line between Sheridan and Gillette which would make the workings of other mines difficult. USGS also factored in the costs of transportation to determine whether or not the coal is economically minable rather than its mere existence ans assume it will be mined regardless of cost. Right now transportation charges ($55) ton average to Texas are higher per MMBTU than the current day ahead price ont he ICE of $3.54 at the Houston ship Channel or Katy. If you believe in the Mad Hatter's statement "there I have said it three times it must be true" then you can find anything you want in a pseudo scientific study on the web. [Edited by: nsdp at 11/12/2012 9:58:20 PM EST]
listerone Champion Author Boston Posts:3,380 Points:878,765 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 8:22:29 PM Ignore listerone Report Abuse Hey,algore made a billion thanks to "climate change".This nation's 14% unemployed will be thrilled by that.
Eugenian Champion Author Oregon Posts:1,862 Points:362,130 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 6:00:39 PM Ignore Eugenian Report Abuse How about giving a crap for future generations, Jeff4U?
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:8,945 Points:752,210 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 3:53:23 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 2:00:28 PM by nsdp "The coal industry has been "high grading "mining the western coal. A USGS study done under the Bush Adm shows currently open mines in Wyoming Powder River Basin will be out of production by 2023 at the current 450million tons per year rate." ====================================================== Interesting and strange, the Wyoming Mining Association studies show a different future. "At current production rates of 450 million tons per year, Powder River Basin reserves would support over 400 years of continuous production. Even if production DOUBLED, there would be enough reserves to last over 200 years. As mining technology and extraction strategies continue to advance, another 300 BILLION tons of PRB reserves could be produced that would extend the production horizon into the distant future." [Edited by: drpepperTX at 11/12/2012 4:53:54 PM EST]
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:8,945 Points:752,210 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 3:38:57 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse LOL, this is not Bloomberg saying anything, it's the IEA, YumaFellow. The facts are the US produces over 1 billion tons per year, a little less currently with cheap NG. That's still about 35% of the world’s coal supply. Second only to China. US coal reserves contain more energy than the entire world’s oil reserves. And the US has over a 250-year supply of coal and that may be even longer as NG replaces some coal usage.
Catfish93001 Champion Author Ventura Posts:1,200 Points:247,955 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 3:37:03 PM Ignore Catfish93001 Report Abuse This needs to happens a lot sooner.
YumaFellow Champion Author Arizona Posts:1,290 Points:622,595 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 2:31:03 PM Ignore YumaFellow Report Abuse Another source saying that the future is away from fossil fuels. The last I looked, Bloomberg was not exactly a tree-hugger information source.
nsdp Champion Author San Antonio Posts:1,117 Points:47,315 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 2:00:28 PM Ignore nsdp Report Abuse The coal industry has been "high grading "mining the western coal. A USGS study done under the Bush Adm shows currently open mines in Wyoming Powder River Basin will be out of production by 2023 at the current 450million tons per year rate. Newer mines will have double the mining costs due to thicker overburdens and necessity to control ground water. Add to that cost, the cost of transportation will probably be hihger than the cost of NG. It costs about $4billion per year to import oil to mine and transport coal. That is about 40 million barrels of imported oil.
YaBassa Champion Author Michigan Posts:2,430 Points:517,100 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 12:28:55 PM Ignore YaBassa Report Abuse This needs to happen 10 years earlier
1OILMAN Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,077 Points:159,070 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 12:24:32 PM Ignore 1OILMAN Report Abuse Never happen.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:8,945 Points:752,210 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 12:21:33 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse IEA = Incredibly Erroneous Agency
Jeff4U Champion Author Atlanta Posts:8,761 Points:1,853,345 Joined:Nov 2004	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 11:15:51 AM Ignore Jeff4U Report Abuse By 2035? At 79, I'll be too old to give a crap.
Nancy&Len Champion Author Cleveland Posts:2,053 Points:1,945,815 Joined:Sep 2004	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 11:07:20 AM Ignore Nancy&Len Report Abuse I'll be dead by the then.
FluffyDogAttack Champion Author Riverside Posts:1,082 Points:96,795 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 10:47:20 AM Ignore FluffyDogAttack Report Abuse "Carbon Pricing" shakes head
peakkeller Champion Author Colorado Springs Posts:1,691 Points:777,350 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 10:21:04 AM Ignore peakkeller Report Abuse Great!
BudsterMO Champion Author Kansas City Posts:3,710 Points:703,930 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:56:20 AM Ignore BudsterMO Report Abuse Wait until Hydrogen Fuel Cell energy kicks in, that will move the renewable energy needle forward and faster than wind and solar.
Wizrd03 Champion Author Illinois Posts:8,152 Points:1,632,335 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:47:58 AM Ignore Wizrd03 Report Abuse "Renewable energy is set to rival coal as the main generator of the world’s electricity by 2035 as the costs of technology fall and subsidies rise, the International Energy Agency said" When it can run 24/7/365 without subsidies it can rival coal, anything else is a joke. "The rapid increase in renewable energy is underpinned by falling technology costs, rising fossil-fuel prices and carbon pricing,...." The last two words say it all!
mattymattmatt All-Star Author Scranton Posts:889 Points:364,340 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:32:42 AM Ignore mattymattmatt Report Abuse In 2035!? What kind of story is this? How can this be considered reporting? How are we are to start talking about the distant future and what anything is going to look like with some degree of certainty? Things change drastically from year to year. This is stretching it when it comes to reporting, I would say.
FogCitySpotter Champion Author San Francisco Posts:2,488 Points:521,425 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:32:38 AM Ignore FogCitySpotter Report Abuse That's a good thing. As long as the government isn't ringing the game.
TBRR Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:3,672 Points:599,320 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:31:24 AM Ignore TBRR Report Abuse important words in the article "and Subsides rise". also just think about the massive layoffs in the coal industry and the drop in tax base where the shuttered mines are. more ghost towns in the making. PUSH WORK ETHIC, NOT REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH
rx7racerca Champion Author Calgary Posts:4,201 Points:1,113,175 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:25:04 AM Ignore rx7racerca Report Abuse I have some doubt about hydro continuing to expand much - in North America and Europe, we're a bit short of rivers left to dam, although run-of-the-river power generation might expand hydro capacity.
rippertoo Champion Author Tacoma Posts:5,755 Points:1,141,835 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:21:43 AM Ignore rippertoo Report Abuse Coal has "NO' redeeming value.
acvw74 Champion Author Illinois Posts:2,105 Points:689,100 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:20:14 AM Ignore acvw74 Report Abuse Steps in the right direction
Chinto12 Champion Author Illinois Posts:1,031 Points:409,860 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:19:26 AM Ignore Chinto12 Report Abuse talk talk talk talk talk. They have been promising this for decades. Just talk
OOXXFF Champion Author Greensboro Posts:3,063 Points:1,079,405 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:19:02 AM Ignore OOXXFF Report Abuse Good. Maybe we can reduce the time for this to happen.
Don20 Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:9,672 Points:2,619,630 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:18:21 AM Ignore Don20 Report Abuse hydroelectric dams are forecast to become the second biggest power generator in 2015.... Hydroelectric is not new, it has been around for hundred years....
belladog Champion Author Mobile Posts:2,587 Points:936,080 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:15:03 AM Ignore belladog Report Abuse ok
WhiskersTheCat All-Star Author Austin Posts:820 Points:1,321,730 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:14:21 AM Ignore WhiskersTheCat Report Abuse 2035!?! I might be dead by then!
knifeman9 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:5,680 Points:1,487,390 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:14:01 AM Ignore knifeman9 Report Abuse This is science fiction at its best. Keep dreaming
Kaiyne Champion Author Chicago Posts:2,339 Points:472,715 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:13:23 AM Ignore Kaiyne Report Abuse The world ends in 2012!
Cableman66 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:2,115 Points:490,920 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:12:46 AM Ignore Cableman66 Report Abuse Ok.
homespesial All-Star Author Seattle Posts:710 Points:155,495 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:11:11 AM Ignore homespesial Report Abuse but i think we will not get cheaper electricity...
JohnofGB Champion Author Flint Posts:5,426 Points:1,097,170 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:10:59 AM Ignore JohnofGB Report Abuse Don't hold your breath.
jayrad1957 Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:19,651 Points:1,597,490 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:10:11 AM Ignore jayrad1957 Report Abuse Good. The way it should be.
JCS Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:4,028 Points:1,313,790 Joined:Apr 2002	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:09:46 AM Ignore JCS Report Abuse waste of tax $
DallasTodd All-Star Author Charlotte Posts:898 Points:238,390 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:09:35 AM Ignore DallasTodd Report Abuse Diversity is the only way to the future.
civicdutie Champion Author Rochester Posts:4,511 Points:954,460 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:08:54 AM Ignore civicdutie Report Abuse Coal is the fuel of the third-world country...of yesterday.
siralexe Veteran Author Illinois Posts:313 Points:73,635 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:08:50 AM Ignore siralexe Report Abuse going the right way
Grinch09 Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:1,608 Points:78,425 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:07:41 AM Ignore Grinch09 Report Abuse OK
MBAcura Champion Author Orlando Posts:2,355 Points:667,840 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:07:32 AM Ignore MBAcura Report Abuse My kids will be thrilled.
bouncing4fun All-Star Author Sacramento Posts:588 Points:145,235 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:06:34 AM Ignore bouncing4fun Report Abuse Thanks for the info.
kishoreCA Champion Author Ventura Posts:3,118 Points:392,895 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:06:10 AM Ignore kishoreCA Report Abuse we are predicting something which is almost 25 years from now. let's see.
silverfoxv65 Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,480 Points:1,230,050 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:04:19 AM Ignore silverfoxv65 Report Abuse Just another prediction!
#12#_vabchusa All-Star Author Virginia Posts:762 Points:91,795 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:04:17 AM Ignore #12#_vabchusa Report Abuse Sounds good to me.
99church Champion Author Indiana Posts:1,821 Points:362,040 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:01:40 AM Ignore 99church Report Abuse Good
mysub Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:8,911 Points:2,330,465 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Nov 12, 2012 9:01:34 AM Ignore mysub Report Abuse We'll have to wait and see.