More Solar PV Installed in US in 2016 than Any Other Electricity Source

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coal, electricity, natural gas, photovoltaics

In a preview of a soon-to-be released annual report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the GTM research, it has been reported that the electricity generating capacity of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations added to the US electrical grid in 2016 was higher than any other type of electricity generating technology. 39% of all new electricity capacity, equivalent to around 14.6 GW, was added in 2016, a 95% increase from 2015. Together, new solar and wind installations comprised 65% of all new electricity generating capacity in the US, reflecting the fact that the costs of solar PV installations have been cost competitive with traditional sources across much of the US.

As the price of electricity from solar PV continues to drop, this creates a huge opportunity to use electrochemical technologies to convert low-cost, carbon-free electricity into storable chemicals and fuels.

Plot of new electricity generating capacity in the US by year and type of technology. Source: Source: GTM Research / SEIA U.S. Solar Market Insight Report

Tipping Points for Solar Energy

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coal, energy economics, natural gas, photovoltaics, renewable energy, tipping point, wind

Below is a recent article in Bloomberg that has a bunch of good facts about the state of solar energy. Among them:…..

-“The world …. is adding more capacity for clean energy [solar & wind] each year than for coal and natural gas combined”

-“it’s likely that the total amount of solar photovoltaics added globally [in 2016] will exceed that of wind for the first time”

-“Half the price of coal”- It is noted that a record deal on a PV plant in Chile signed in August of this year came in at $29 /MW-hr – “roughly half the price of competing coal power “.

Here’s the link to the full article: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-15/world-energy-hits-a-turning-point-solar-that-s-cheaper-than-wind

World Energy Hits a Turning Point: Solar That’s Cheaper Than Wind

Solar (and Coal) Power in India

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coal, India, microgrids

India has some very ambitious targets set for deployment of solar technology for 2022 and 2030.  At the same time, it is currently one of the biggest coal users in the world. Thus, India has huge potential to reduce its (projected) emissions, and it will be interesting to watch how these dynamics play out in the coming years.:

India wants to become a solar superpower, but its dependence on toxic coal says otherwise

Energy-Water Nexus in Arizona

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arizona, coal, Colorado River, energy, energy-water nexus, Navajo Generating Station, water

This is an interesting article on energy and water use in the American West, specifically talking about the Navajo power plant in nothern Arizona:

https://projects.propublica.org/killing-the-colorado/story/navajo-generating-station-colorado-river-drought

The Navajo Generating Station is a coal fired power plant that is one of the largest power plants in the West, generating over 2 GW of power.   The plant is instrumental in providing the electricity needed to power pumps that divert millions of gallons of water from the Colorado River over 300 miles and 3,000 vertical feet to Phoenix, Tuscon, and other arid parts of AZ where the water is essential to the existence of those populations centers. In the process, the plant generates 15 tons of coal per minute and accounts for ~ 29% of the state’s emissions from energy generation.

The future of this > 40 year old plant is unclear, especially in a water- and carbon-constrained world, but its story is an excellent example of how energy, water, and climate are vitally connected in many parts of the world. It is an interesting article that is well worth reading.

Navajo generating station in Arizona. https://projects.propublica.org/killing-the-colorado/story/navajo-generating-station-colorado-river-drought