Comments on: Obama: “We will double the production of alternative energy in the next three years” http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:53:37 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Kojiro Vance http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26781 Kojiro Vance Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:28:06 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26781 Joe - in debating the costs of nuclear power you challenge skeptics to provide the numbers to back up their claims. I challenge YOU to run the numbers on how it is possible to double renewables in 3 years. During the campaign, when Obama said his goal was to go to 10% renewable electric by 2010 my reply was - rubbish, can't be done. Wind is esssentially the only short term renewable that can fill the gap. Assuming 1.5 MW sized turbines, the US would need to install 10 new turbines every day, 365 days a year for the next 4 years - that is just to take us from 7% to 10% renewable electric. Doubling is out of the question. So someone kindly prove me wrong. Joe – in debating the costs of nuclear power you challenge skeptics to provide the numbers to back up their claims.

I challenge YOU to run the numbers on how it is possible to double renewables in 3 years.

During the campaign, when Obama said his goal was to go to 10% renewable electric by 2010 my reply was – rubbish, can’t be done.

Wind is esssentially the only short term renewable that can fill the gap. Assuming 1.5 MW sized turbines, the US would need to install 10 new turbines every day, 365 days a year for the next 4 years – that is just to take us from 7% to 10% renewable electric. Doubling is out of the question.

So someone kindly prove me wrong.

]]> By: Jay Alt http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26592 Jay Alt Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:40:28 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26592 Joe - I've had trouble figuring out what 'renewable' means to the Obama team. In an energy speech/factsheet from Aug 3, 08, they set a goal of reaching 10% renewable power by 2012. That was panned by skeptics as unattainable. Yet DOE data bases show that 7% of US electricity generation is already renewable, if you count hydro. Now they talk of 'doubling' renewable power within 3 years. Now what is the basis? Solar and Wind only, excluding hydro? Or all three? Paulm - The IEA has been challenged by a new Renewable organization pushed by Germany and coming into being this month- the I<b> R</b> E A. There was a recent vote in which almost all countries involved voted yes. ( Except whoever is the current IEA chair. ) http://www.scidev.net/en/climate-change-and-energy/news/new-agency-to-be-global-voice-of-renewables-.html Joe -
I’ve had trouble figuring out what ‘renewable’ means to the Obama team. In an energy speech/factsheet from Aug 3, 08, they set a goal of reaching 10% renewable power by 2012. That was panned by skeptics as unattainable. Yet DOE data bases show that 7% of US electricity generation is already renewable, if you count hydro.

Now they talk of ‘doubling’ renewable power within 3 years. Now what is the basis? Solar and Wind only, excluding hydro? Or all three?

Paulm -
The IEA has been challenged by a new Renewable organization pushed by Germany and coming into being this month- the I R E A. There was a recent vote in which almost all countries involved voted yes. ( Except whoever is the current IEA chair. )
http://www.scidev.net/ en/ climate-change-and-energy/ news/ new-agency-to-be-global-voice-of-renewables-.html

]]> By: paulm http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26562 paulm Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:29:46 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26562 These guys, IEA, should be sent to Guantanamo or maybe chained to a cute polar bear... <b>International Energy Agency 'blocking global switch to renewables'</b> <i>International Energy Agency accused of consistently underestimating potential of wind, solar and sea power while promoting oil, coal and nuclear as 'irreplaceable' technologies</i> http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jan/08/windpower-energy "...In 1998, the IEA predicted that global wind electricity generation would total 47.4GW by 2020. This figure was reached in December 2004, the report says. In 2002, the IEA revised its estimate to 104GW wind by 2020 – a capacity that had been exceeded by last summer. .... If current trends continue, the report claims wind capacity could reach 7,500GW by 2025 – making half of all new power projects wind or solar. Conventional power stations could be phased out completely by 2037, it claims." These guys, IEA, should be sent to Guantanamo or maybe chained to a cute polar bear…

International Energy Agency ‘blocking global switch to renewables’
International Energy Agency accused of consistently underestimating potential of wind, solar and sea power while promoting oil, coal and nuclear as ‘irreplaceable’ technologies
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ environment/ 2009/ jan/ 08/ windpower-energy

“…In 1998, the IEA predicted that global wind electricity generation would total 47.4GW by 2020. This figure was reached in December 2004, the report says. In 2002, the IEA revised its estimate to 104GW wind by 2020 – a capacity that had been exceeded by last summer.
….
If current trends continue, the report claims wind capacity could reach 7,500GW by 2025 – making half of all new power projects wind or solar. Conventional power stations could be phased out completely by 2037, it claims.”

]]> By: Susan Kraemer http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26526 Susan Kraemer Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:25:08 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26526 (Rick, sad but true - the Eastern European drop in CO2 in the 80's after Chernobyl caused "broken and battered economies"...) But as to the post - I think it's great news. And I do believe that we won't wind up like Argentina, because we will be printing that money for something with a tangible ROI: green energy saves money in the long run. After the 10 - 20 years of paying it off this country will be laughing all the way to the bank! In even 5 years we might have the courage to compare how we are doing on renewable energy --with an entity of our own size. Instead of comparing the USA (300 million) to one little country in the EU with a similar (400 million) population. (Rick, sad but true – the Eastern European drop in CO2 in the 80’s after Chernobyl caused “broken and battered economies”…)

But as to the post – I think it’s great news. And I do believe that we won’t wind up like Argentina, because we will be printing that money for something with a tangible ROI: green energy saves money in the long run. After the 10 – 20 years of paying it off this country will be laughing all the way to the bank!

In even 5 years we might have the courage to compare how we are doing on renewable energy –with an entity of our own size. Instead of comparing the USA (300 million) to one little country in the EU with a similar (400 million) population.

]]> By: Rick http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26524 Rick Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:15:33 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26524 On the plus side, broken and battered economies emit less CO2, so we'll have that going for us. On the plus side, broken and battered economies emit less CO2, so we’ll have that going for us.

]]> By: Rick http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26523 Rick Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:07:39 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26523 The plan seems to be massive debt increase and printing lots of money to spend on infrastructure and various bailout schemes. I don't have a real good understanding of economic history, but I believe that massive debt and money printing has in the past lead to spectacular and sudden depreciation of currencies along with general breakdown of society. Looks like interesting times ahead. The plan seems to be massive debt increase and printing lots of money to spend on infrastructure and various bailout schemes. I don’t have a real good understanding of economic history, but I believe that massive debt and money printing has in the past lead to spectacular and sudden depreciation of currencies along with general breakdown of society. Looks like interesting times ahead.

]]> By: Hank R. http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26520 Hank R. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:02:23 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26520 I hope the federal building efforts follow the lead of CA. On Bill Financing means these investments can be made using 0% utility loans. See: http://www.sdge.com/business/esc/promo_obf.shtml Even the ESCO approach already in the works for federal buildings with pre-chosen firms could be less expensive using OBF because the costs of risk can be less.The same applies for state, county and city buildings. Why add to the federal debt if we don't need to ? I hope the federal building efforts follow the lead of CA.

On Bill Financing means these investments can be made using 0% utility loans.

See: http://www.sdge.com/business/esc/promo_obf.shtml

Even the ESCO approach already in the works for federal buildings with pre-chosen firms could be less expensive using OBF because the costs of risk can be less.The same applies for state, county and city buildings.

Why add to the federal debt if we don’t need to ?

]]> By: Romm for Cabinet http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26519 Romm for Cabinet Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:48:18 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26519 This is huge. Of course it's not Al Gore's "100% renewables in 10 years", but it's still extremely exciting. This is huge. Of course it’s not Al Gore’s “100% renewables in 10 years”, but it’s still extremely exciting.

]]> By: paulm http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26517 paulm Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:11:31 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/08/obama-we-will-double-the-production-of-alternative-energy-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-26517 some promising news... U.S. Edges Out Germany as World Wind Power Leader http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/dec2008/2008-12-26-01.asp some promising news…

U.S. Edges Out Germany as World Wind Power Leader
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/dec2008/2008-12-26-01.asp

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