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Old 12-20-14, 05:12 PM   #71
Robaroni
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oil pan 4 View Post
You don't have to listen to fox, but what the IER says it true.
I guess you don't get it.
This is not going to hurt the coal power industry at all. When these power plants are forced shut down the ones that stay running will be able to charge more for the same product, coal prices will drop due to less demand from the shut downs and the coal power producers left running will make more money than ever. The government just legislated a huge profit margin increase for them.
This is going to hurt people and its slated to take effect right before winter of 2015.
The only alternative that has been able to make a dent in coals market share is natural gas, hydraulically fractured natural gas.
I don't know if any one has noticed but hydroelectric powers market share and production has shrank due to increasing demand for drinking water and irrigation, the nuclear power industries production and market share has been shrinking too.
Ridiculously expensive and inconsistent alternative energy sources like solar have struggled to keep their market share with ever increasing demand.
All the geo thermal power that can be used for generation is being used, so that market share is shrinking.
I've said this before but I'll repeat it again. We are in a historical transition, not much different than when whale oil got too costly. We started using kerosene in its place.
The higher the cost of consumables the more viable that alternates become.
Think about this - the sun shining on this planet for one hour produces all the energy this planet requires for a whole year. (DOE)
Sure natural gas wants to get its foot in the door, they see what's happening in Germany and other countries. Germany is now selling power to France because their aging nuclear is more of a burden than a solution. A couple of months ago Germany produced over 70% of its required energy. But here's the big difference. Coal, oil natural gas put money in the hands of the very few ( the Koch brothers made 9 billion last year). Alternates diversify energy to the masses so we all benefit along with the grid which is also stronger. So now utilities want to start putting in PV so the can maintain their monetary control.
Natural gas is another monster, not only is an environmental nightmare but it feeds the coffers of the very rich to the exclusion of everyone else and like any drug once the people are hooked on it the price will go up. NY State just banned fracking. We used to ban monopolies but now Citizen United and McCutcheon have ended that.

Energy monopolies want everyone to think alternatives are a pipe dream but they're not as many people here can attest too including me. Right now PV costs less than a buck a watt. The energy it takes to make a PV module is recovered in the first year of use with 29+ years of clean energy. Look at China going full speed forward in alternatives. You won't be a viable industrial nation without embracing alternatives and the challenge of the twenty first century won't be producing energy, we already can do that, it will be storing it.
Bottom line, the further you look into the past the further you see into the future and the common denominator is technology. It decided the AC grid over Edison's DC grid and it will dictate the future. Coal, oil and gas are consumables and their days are numbered, again we're in a historical transition. Alternatives are technology rich, they'll only get better.

Alternatives aren't inconsistent, wind compliments PV for example. What you don't hear is the present grids inconsistency but it's there in spades. Now take a relay in Canada that causes the east coast of the US to go dark. That kind of massive failure doesn't happen with alternative because they diversify the grid.
So I'll live with the coal industry trying to gouge out the masses. Their days are numbered and their lobbying power is diminishing. Raise their prices and that will only accelerate alternatives.

I saw all this coming years ago, I have over 10Kw of PV in and I'm ahead on my electric bill over $500. Coal prices don't affect me, now tell me again who isn't getting it?

Rob


Last edited by Robaroni; 12-20-14 at 05:22 PM..
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