Energy Demand 2018 and Onwards

[David B. Benson]

Fossil Fuels Are Here To Stay
Irina Slav
2020 Aug 30
Oilprice.com
oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Fossil-Fuels-Are-Here-To-Stay.html

IEA statistics show no progress against increased world demand for available energy; even coal.

[David B. Benson]

Global analysis shows major electrical utilities not moving to greener alternatives
Bob Yirka
2020 Sep 01
Phys.org
techxplore.com/news/2020-09-global-analysis-major-electric-greener.html

Still coal dominated.

[David B. Benson]

The U.S. South could save money by cleaning up its power grid
David Roberts
2020 Sep 01
Vox.com
www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.com/platform/amp/energy-and-environment/2020/9/1/21407275/duke-energy-southern-company-renewable-power-solar-wind-market-competition

Monopolies keep prices up.

[David B. Benson]

Summer 2020 Brought ERCOT Market Challenges, But Nothing Like 2019
Lee Taylor
2020 Sep 18
POWER Magazine
www.powermag.com/summer-2020-brought-ercot-market-challenges-but-nothing-like-2019/

Good description of how solar farm market hedging strategies may bring woe.

[David B. Benson]

'Math Doesn't Yet Add Up' for Utility Decarbonization Goals: Deloitte
Jeff St. John
2020 Sep 21
Greentechmedia.com
www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/math-doesnt-yet-add-up-for-u.s-utility-decarbonization-goals

Fossil fueled plant retirements don't make the stated low-carbon goal dates.

[David B. Benson]

Global Wind & Solar Power Electricity Production Doubled In Last Five Years
Jack Richardson
2020 Sep 21
CleanTechnica
cleantechnica.com/2020/09/21/global-wind-solar-power-electricity-generation-doubled-in-last-5-years/

But we still will breach the 2 °C limit, in my opinion.

[David B. Benson]

Even Renewables Are Bigger In Texas
Joshua Rhodes
2020 Sep 25
Forbes
www.forbes.com/sites/joshuarhodes/2020/09/25/even-renewables-are-bigger-in-texas/

Overstated in that but a third of the interconnection queue is actually built. Still, impressive.

[David B. Benson]

South Africa platinum mine tenders for 10 MW of solar
Emiliano Bellini
2020 Oct 06
PV Magazine
www.pv-magazine.com/2020/10/06/eskom-blamed-as-south-african-platinum-mine-tenders-for-10-mw-of-solar/

State utility insufficiently reliable. This way the mine can at least refine platinum when the sun shines.

[David B. Benson]

Solar is now 'cheapest electricity in history', confirms IEA
2020 Oct 13
CarbonBrief
www.carbonbrief.org/solar-is-now-cheapest-electricity-in-history-confirms-iea

Excellent and thorough summary of IEA report on electricity generation by source versus so-called carbon pathways

h/t to mike at Real Climate

[David B. Benson]

Gas-fired power plants hold 43 percent in U.S. generation capacity, EIA survey shows
2020 Oct 20
Power Engineering
www.power-eng.com/2020/10/20/gas-fired-power-plants-hold-43-percent-stake-in-u-s-generation-capacity-eia-survey-shows/

New combined cycle generators much more efficient.

[David B. Benson]

Construction begins on UK's first grid stabilization facility
Pamela Largue
2020 Oct 23
Power Engineering International
www.powerengineeringint.com/smart-grid-td/td-infrastructure/construction-begins-on-uks-first-grid-stabilisation-facility/

Curious. I would suppose that the synchronous condenser is an old generator previously powered by a coal burner. Not a mention of that.

[David B. Benson]

The rebirth of a historic river
Alexander Matthews
2020 Nov 10
BBC News
www.bbc.com/future/article/20201110-the-largest-dam-removal-project-in-american-history

Klamath to have lower 4 dams removed. Power company happy.

[David B. Benson]

The Narrative Problem After Peak Oil
Tim Watkins
2020 Nov 06
Conciousness of Sheep
consciousnessofsheep.co.uk/2020/11/06/the-narrative-problem-after-peak-oil/

Economy still massively burns oil products.

h/t to Engineer-Poet on Real Climate

[David B. Benson]

Top 10 Utility Regulation Trends of 2020
Noah Garcia
2020 Dec 31
GreenTech Media
www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/top-10-utility-regulation-trends-of-2020

In the USA, continued contention over capacity markets and the regulations for such.

In my opinion, eliminate those markets ala ERCOT.

[David B. Benson]

Solar is now 'cheapest electricity in history': How much will it matter?
Kurt Cobb
2021 Jan 03
Resilience
www.resilience.org/stories/2021-01-03/solar-now-cheapest-electricity-in-history-how-much-will-it-matter/

Rather little in Kurt Cobb's opinion.

[David B. Benson]

Reactive Technologies: Pinpointing the Inertia of Renewable-Powered Grids
Jeff St John
GreenTech Media
www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/reactive-technologies-pinpointing-the-inertia-of-renewable-powered-grids

Attempting to measure the so-called inertia, i.e., frequency response, of modern grids.

[David B. Benson]

IEA.org World Energy Outlook 2020
2020 Oct 13
(Link not possible)

Looks hopeless for meeting Paris Conference goals.

h/t to Willard on And Then There's Physics

[David B. Benson]

Will Asia Actually Fuel A Comeback In Coal?
Felicity Bradstock
2021 Jan 05
Oilprice.com
oilprice.com/Energy/Coal/Will-Asia-Actually-Fuel-A-Comeback-In-Coal.html


Not in South or Southeast Asia in this opinion.

[David B. Benson]

Report: Renewables Suffering From Broken US Transmission Policy
Jeff St. John
2021 Jan 12
GreenTech Media
www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/report-renewables-are-suffering-from-broken-u.s-transmission-policy

FERC set bad rules. Fortunately, ERCOT can ignore those.

[David B. Benson]

Fossil fuel companies get $62B a year in implicit subsidies, economist reports
Bob Yirka
2021 Mar 24
Phys.org
phys.org/news/2021-03-fossil-fuel-companies-62b-year.html

Externalities.

[David B. Benson]

China turns to coal as electricity demand skyrockets
Rod Walton
2021 Mar 30
Power Engineering International
www.powerengineeringint.com/coal-fired/china-turns-to-coal-as-electricity-demand-skyrockets/

China doesn't build so-called renewables fast enough.

[David B. Benson]

China's bitcoin mining rush risks derailing climate goals
2021 Apr 06
Phys.org
techxplore.com/news/2021-04-china-bitcoin-derailing-climate-goals.html

Bitcoin mining uses more electricity than some countries!

[David B. Benson]

US power sector is halfway to zero carbon emissions
Julie Chao
2021 Apr 13
Phys.org
techxplore.com/news/2021-04-power-sector-halfway-carbon-emissions.html

From base year 2005.

[David B. Benson]

Green giants: the massive projects that could make Australia a clean energy superpower
Adam Morton
2020 Nov 13
The Guardian
www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/14/green-giants-the-massive-projects-that-could-make-australia-a-clean-energy-superpower

Australia has both sun and wind, often at complementary times.

h/t to Omega Centauri on Real Climate

[David B. Benson]

Destination: Elga
Polina Ivanova
2021 Apr 29
Reuters
www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/russia-coal-elga-mine/

Metallurgical grade coking coal mined in eastern Siberia to make its way to Chinese steel mills.

[David B. Benson]

Why Californians Have Sky-High Electricity Bills
Irina Slav
2021 May 05
Oilprice.com
oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Why-Californians-Have-Sky-High-Electricity-Bills.html

But not for the well-to-do.

[David B. Benson]

TVA, Eyeing Coal Phaseout by 2035, Will Rely on Nuclear
Sonal Patel
2021 May 05
Power Magazine
www.powermag.com/tva-eyeing-coal-phaseout-by-2035-will-rely-on-nuclear/

Wants some SMRs.

h/t to Engineer-Poet on Real Climate

[David B. Benson]

Texas Power Grid, Strained Last Winter, Now Faces an Early Heat Wave
John Swartz & Ivan Penn
2021 Jun 15
The New York Times
www.nytimes.com/2021/06/15/climate/texas-heat-wave-electricity.html

A nuclear power plant had a transformer failure and dropped off line. Other woes.

[David B. Benson]

How the U.S. Made Progress on Climate Change Without Ever Passing a Bill
Robertson Meyer
2021 Jun 16
The Atlantic
www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/06/climate-change-green-vortex-america/619228/

The amazing gains in replacing carbon dioxide producers. Via economics and some state action.

[David B. Benson]

Bangladesh scraps 10 coal-fired power plants
2021 Jun 27
Phys.org
techxplore.com/news/2021-06-bangladesh-scraps-coal-fired-power.html

Amazing, especially considering that some are brand-new.