Energy Secretary Ernest "Moniz sees end to subsidies for solar"...

[NeoGreen]

...

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/moniz-sees-end-to-subsidies-for-solar/article/2570901

Solar and wind energy have become cost-competitive without subsidies, according to Obama administration officials and outside experts.

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz told reporters Monday that the price of solar has fallen so dramatically that the market can now grow without subsidies.

He was on a call previewing a policy speech the president made Aug. 24 at the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, a touchstone event for the Democratic Party.

Moniz told reporters that the administration supports Congress' extension of the tax credits, but "I certainly see solar growing" even "without subsidy." The cost reductions have "been incredible" for the solar industry, making for an improved "value proposition ... in many contexts."

See also (from Treehugger.com):

http://www.treehugger.com/renewable-energy/us-energy-secretary-solar-and-wind-energy-cost-competitive-without-subsidies.html

A report on wind technology from a few weeks ago said: "Lower wind turbine prices and installed project costs, along with improvements in expected [production capacity], are enabling aggressive wind power pricing" The report shows that prices dropped from nearly 7 cents/kWH in 2009 to 2.35 cents/kWh in 2014, which is pretty incredible (it's not that low everywhere, but over time it should keep going down). The report says the cost trend placed wind "below the bottom of the range" of nationwide power prices in 2014. That makes wind power very competitive against natural gas power generation through 2040, according to projections.

This doesn't mean that all subsidies should immediately dropped or anything drastic like that, though. The fossil fuel industry has had billions and billions and billions in help over decades and decades, and they still receive all kinds of favored treatment. I think we can keep pushing clean energy for a while to help it replace dirty sources of power faster than it would without the help. If we want to save a few bucks somewhere, we should cut fossil fuel subsidies instead. There's a lot more fat to cut there anyway...

[truebluegreen]

1. But of course tax breaks and subsidies for fossil fuels will continue,

subsidies, without which, they would not be competitive.

[NeoGreen]

2. Yeah, well...

...there is that then.


I choose to see the report as good news in that renewables are or will soon be cost competitive.

Maybe I am just a naïve optimist.

[truebluegreen]

3. I agree, the report is good news, on its face;

the bad news lies in the power structure that apparently can't conceive of a real change in the status quo. I'd love to see them continue the subsidies for renewables in order to speed the transition, and the demise of Big Oil--who, for so many reasons, richly deserve it.