The general public perception of renewable energy is often in terms of saving the environment and reducing global carbon dioxide emissions. While it is true that renewable energy provides great environmental benefits and may yet prove to be our main hope for decarbonization, it is just as true and often overlooked that renewable energy provides considerable economic and social benefits.

Solar PV is the largest renewable energy employer with 2.5 million jobs worldwide, up from 2.3 million at last count. According to IRENA’s 2014 renewable energy costs study, solar PV module prices have dropped more than 75 per cent since 2009 and residential solar PV systems are 65 per cent cheaper than in 2008.

Wind is another example where falling costs are creating new jobs. Employment in wind energy passed the 1 million jobs mark, up from 834,000 at last count. Onshore wind is now one of the most cost-competitive sources of electricity available with some projects now delivering electricity for as little as US four cents per kWh, again without financial support.

The new reality is that the cost of generating power from renewable energy sources has reached parity or dropped below the cost of fossil fuels for many technologies in many parts of the world. Biomass, hydropower, geothermal and onshore wind are all competitive with or cheaper than coal, oil and gas-fired power stations, even without financial support and despite falling oil prices. These low prices are making the business case for renewable energy stronger than ever.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adnan-z-amin/the-economics-of-renewabl_b_7452996.h...

lee wrote on May 21^st, 2016 at 12:23pm:



A feed-in tariff is a rate paid for electricity fed back into the electricity grid from a designated renewable electricity generation source such as a rooftop solar panel system or wind turbine.

At present, feed-in tariff regulations for renewable energy exist in over 40 countries around the world and they are widely considered one of the most effective ways to increase solar energy uptake.

http://www.energymatters.com.au/rebates-incentives/feedintariff/

So in summary it is a way of encouraging more people to take up renewables.

The cost of PV battery storage is falling quickly and pretty soon it will be economical enough to be off the grid entirely.

http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/tesla-already-forcing-down-battery-storage-price...

Ivanpah Solar facts

'
    is owned by Google, NRG Energy, and Brightsource, who have a market cap in excess of $500 billion.
    received $1.6 billion in loan guarantees from the Department of Energy.
    is paid four to five times as much per megawatt-hour as natural gas-powered plants.
    is paid two to three times as much per megawatt-hour as other solar power producers.
    has burned thousands of birds to death.
    has delayed loan repayments.
    is seeking over $500 million in grants to help pay off the guaranteed loans.
    burns natural gas for 4.5 hours each morning to get its mojo going.

Brightsource, which is privately held, is owned by a virtual who’s who of those who don’t need subsidies from taxpayers and ratepayers.

In spite of all this, Ivanpah has fallen woefully short of its production targets. The managers’ explanation for why production came up 32 percent below expected output is the weather. In addition to raising questions about planning for uncertainty, it is not all that clear how a nine-percent drop in sunshine causes a 32-percent drop in production.

More bizarrely, the natural gas used to get the plant all warmed up and ready each day would be enough to generate over one quarter of the power actually produced from the solar energy.'

http://dailysignal.com/2016/03/29/taxpayers-are-footing-bill-for-solar-project-t...

Brightsource is a vocal supporter of Beyond Zero Emissions Australia.

lee wrote on May 21^st, 2016 at 3:07pm:


Stupid tax sink Ivanpah just set fire to itself. Soon to be bankrupted it was probably an insurance job.

The_Barnacle wrote on May 22^nd, 2016 at 1:09pm:



It may be innovative technology  but it is not new technology. It is various older technologies used in new ways. The bugs of the individual system components should have been already worked out. Focussing mirrors, steam drive etc.

The_Barnacle wrote on May 21^st, 2016 at 12:53pm:



lee wrote on May 22^nd, 2016 at 1:49pm:


see above

lee wrote on May 25^th, 2016 at 9:54pm:


The feed in tariff for new systems in Victoria (where I live) is just 5c/kWh. Hardly a protection racket.

And why shouldn't people be encouraged to use renewable energy? There are countless benefits to society, and it supports an innovative new industry. It always bemuses me that the neo cons are so against clean renewable energy. It is a classic case of cutting off their nose to spite their face.

lee wrote on May 22^nd, 2016 at 1:49pm:


Fo the same reason economically feasable coal mines demand diesel rebates.

The_Barnacle wrote on May 25^th, 2016 at 10:59pm:


Hi Barnacle,  I am 100% for renewable energies.
Have solar power at home.

Sprintcyclist wrote on Jun 24^th, 2016 at 2:56pm:


Thats great to hear Sprint, if people could just put aside their political agendas they would see the advantages of renewables against our finite fossil fuel reserves.


juliar wrote on Jun 24^th, 2016 at 6:20pm:


See what happens when you stop taking your medication Juliar.....

lee wrote on Jun 25^th, 2016 at 12:22pm:


changing over to renewables can be done as it becomes viable.

every year solar becomes more viable.
with storage getting better it has taken another leap forward

Surely a house with solar and no power bills will sell for more than one that has a power bill every quarter?

lee wrote on Jun 24^th, 2016 at 2:13pm:


Yes, i do. Are you implying that the miners pay retail cost for their fuel?
If your going to bring tax stuctures into this its going be a long and boring thread.