This month brought another exciting piece of news for those of us hoping the US will transition to renewable energy in the years ahead. Not only did the US add a record amount of wind capacity in 2009, but new data show that the potential supply of wind power is almost infinite relative to our electricity consumption. The US government agency that deals with renewables, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), finally updated their study of onshore wind resources (since the last comprehensive study in 1993). They now estimate that wind power (more…)
Archive for the ‘Solar’ Category
US Wind Potential Estimate More Than Triples
Sunday, February 28th, 2010Wind & Solar Poised to Supply New Demand
Sunday, February 7th, 2010The recession was supposed to slow down white-hot renewable energy growth. A lack of financing and tax equity was to reduce the wind and solar markets as much as 50% in 2009. Instead, last year brought new records in capacity additions. Wind power in the US grew (more…)
Solar price falls to new record low, now below 20 cents per kWh
Sunday, September 6th, 2009
My first week working with the East Coast Greenway Alliance was amazing. And I have some big news to share that helps make my dream of a mobile bicycle/solar existence possible. Bicycles are already cost-effective, but solar has been out of reach to most consumers in the past. It’s price just fell for the 11th straight month, reaching a new record low. (more…)
Retail Solar Price Drop Accelerates, New Record Lows Reached
Tuesday, August 4th, 2009August solar prices fell at the quickest pace in the last eight years, according to the monthly survey by Solarbuzz.com. In Europe, prices reached another record low. And industrial electricity prices are finally poised to fall below (more…)
Tuvalu commits to 100% clean electricity by 2020
Monday, July 20th, 2009
Rising sea levels are something small island nations like Tuvalu and the Maldives cannot ignore. That is why the Pacific state of Tuvalu just joined the Maldives as a leader in renewable electricity generation. They committed to get all of their electricity from renewables like wind and solar by the year (more…)
SET goes solar (starting with my cell phone)
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
photo by Jerry Markatos
I’m happy to report that Sustainable Energy Transition (SET) is now getting the bulk of its cell phone’s energy needs from solar power! After 250 blog posts over the past year, it’s nice to look back at this piece of tangible progress for SET’s operations. Thanks to Connect2Earth.org, a green online community supported by WWF, IUCN and Nokia, who gave SET the solar charger – we are further walking our talk. (more…)
EIA: US emissions diving more than 4% in 2009
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
As I wrote last month would probably happen, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) lowered its estimate for fossil fuel energy demand in 2009, translating into a huge drop in greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions projections for coal, oil, and natural gas were all lowered in its July Short Term Energy Outlook — meaning, by my calculations, that US emissions are expected to fall (more…)
July solar price survey shows new record low in Europe
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
The monthly solar price survey by Solarbuzz.com just came out. And it showed retail prices fell another ~1% last month. Prices still have a ways to go before grid parity arrives, but its nice to see the continued progress. Europe is now enjoying another record low solar price for individual modules at (more…)
Solar quickly approaching grid parity
Monday, July 6th, 2009Solar module prices are falling so fast that solar may be able to cost-effectively compete with fossil fuels within a matter of months. The latest bit of news confirming astounding price drops was from China’s LDK Solar. LDK is a producer of the main component of solar modules (wafers). While their second quarter guidance showed a boost in shipments, it also lowered their revenue expectations, translating into a cost per watt of (more…)
Recession keeps a lid on fuel prices
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
The recent oil price rally has taken a break due to the persistence of recessionary low demand. While lower prices may finally translate into lower crude oil and natural gas output in July 2009 than in 2008, US demand numbers show little sign of recovery. This reality makes it tough for renewable energy to compete currently, but is a relief to (more…)