Groundbreaking Study: Challenging conventional wisdom on renewable energy's limits

[kpete]

Source: Institute For Southern Studies

GROUNDBREAKING STUDY FINDS
SOLAR, WIND, OTHER RENEWABLE POWER SOURCES
COULD MEET NEARLY ALL NORTH CAROLINA ELECTRICITY NEEDS
http://www.ieer.org/reports/NC-Wind-Solar.pdf


Challenging conventional wisdom on renewable energy's limits

In making the case for a rapid conversion away from heavily polluting energy sources like coal and nuclear power to cleaner generation, renewable energy advocates often confront the argument that their scheme is impossible due to the intermittent nature of sun and wind.


But a groundbreaking study out of North Carolina challenges that conventional wisdom: It suggests that backup generation requirements would be modest for a system based largely on solar and wind power, combined with efficiency, hydroelectric power, and other renewable sources like landfill gas.

"Even though the wind does not blow nor the sun shine all the time, careful management, readily available storage and other renewable sources can produce nearly all the electricity North Carolinians consume," said author John Blackburn, professor emeritus of economics and former chancellor at Duke University in Durham, N.C.. He's also the author of the books "The Renewable Energy Alternative" and "Solar in Florida."

The study was published last week by the Maryland-based Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, whose executive director, Arjun Makhijani, called it landmark research. "North Carolina utilities and regulators and those in other states should take this template, refine it, and make a renewable electricity future a reality," he said.

Read more: http://www.southernstudies.org/2010/03/challenging-conventional-wisdom-on-renewable-energys-limits.html

[Vinnie From Indy]

1. If you listen really closely,

you can almost hear the vast army of oil/gas/coal lobbyists putting on their marching boots. As sure as the Sun rises in the East, this study will be attacked by all means available. The money spent by the health insurers to kill the public option will look like kids having a lemonade stand compared to the oceans of money the oil/gas/coal/nuclear industries will spend to perpetuate their control of the energy future of the world.

[HillWilliam]

2. Duke and Progress Energy

just about own the NC legislature. A lot of us are fighting the good fight day-in and day-out to be heard, though. My state senator is useless; old and a shill, and DINO by any other name. My state rep on the other hand is a pretty good guy. Faison has pretty good sense and he's willing to listen and carry ideas to the floor.

Thanks for the linkie. All armament is greatly appreciated.

[AlbertCat]

3. My state senator is useless

Uh.... you have 2 state senators.

Actually, they both seem pretty useless. But at least they don't live in Kansas!

[HillWilliam]

8. In the NC legislature where a lot of the fight is happening right now

we have one senator per district. Tony Forriest is a nice enough fellow, but a conservadem who prefers keeping his job over keeping NC green and pretty. That's the dude I was talking about. The rep I was talking about is Bill Faison. He's actually interested in renewable energy and conserving NC resources.

The federal-level? I've got Brad Miller for a rep. He's really turned around in the last few years. We've become rather proud of him. Kay Hagan? What a disappointment -- she's turned out to be another corporate Dem. Let's not talk about Richard Burr this early in the morning. Party-boy makes my ass crave cold buttermilk.

[Dr.Phool]

5. Progress Energy owns the Florida Statehouse as well.

I'm a plaintiff in the lawsuit against them.

www.cfrpr.com

[Hannah Bell]

9. i don't see why, when duke is invested in both solar & wind, e.g.:

Duke Energy to Build up to 400 'Mini' Solar Power Plants in North Carolina

Duke Energy will build between 100 and 400 electricity-generating mini solar power plants throughout North Carolina over the next two years in one of the first large-scale initiatives of its kind in the U.S., CEO Jim Rogers said today.

“Solar and wind are both going to be key parts of our strategy going forward,” Rogers told reporters following the company’s annual meeting.

Duke Energy’s solar initiative will be among the nation’s first and largest demonstrations of distributed generation, in which electricity is produced at numerous micro generating sites rather than at a large, centralized, traditional power plant...

The solar plan is one of several renewable and clean-energy initiatives announced by Duke Energy in the past 12 months, including:

Solar

The purchase of the entire electricity output (16 megawatts) from what will be one of the nation’s largest photovoltaic solar farms, to be built in 2009-2010 in Davidson County, N.C.
Wind

The opening of three new electricity-generating wind farms in Texas and Wyoming.
A plan to build two more wind farms in Wyoming in 2009.
The potential development of 5,000 additional megawatts of wind energy in 14 states over the next several years.
An agreement with Wal-Mart to supply wind-generated electricity to up to 15 percent of the retail chain’s 360 stores and other buildings in Texas.
Biomass

The creation of a joint venture with AREVA to build power plants fueled by wood waste – the first “biopower” (biomass to electricity) partnership in the U.S. between two major energy companies.
Landfill Gas

The purchase of electricity generated by combusting methane naturally emitted from decaying garbage at two large landfills in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Electric Vehicles

Partnerships with General Motors and several other automakers to help lay the groundwork for the deployment of vehicle-charging stations – critical for the large-scale launch of plug-in electric cars and trucks.
Energy Efficiency

Major energy efficiency programs to help Duke Energy’s 4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky use less electricity and save money.
An investment of at least $1 billion to improve the efficiency of its substations, power lines and electric and gas meters, using advanced digital “smart grid” technology.

http://www.duke-energy.com/news/releases/2009050702.asp


All of the big energy corps are investing in renewables. Heavily.

[fatbuckel]

4. But...

them fellas from the GOP/Petrol party say it ain`t so....

[supernova]

6. Great news!

I'm planning on going solar as soon as I can afford it or they make grants available. I want to generate my own energy as much as is practicable. It might not be possible in the dead of winter here, it's pretty cloudy A LOT then. But late spring, summer and most of fall are very sunny.

[yurbud]

7. the conventional wisdom against renewables is a self-fulfilling prophecy: we can't do it because we

haven't done it, it would take too great an effort to switch.

Any time the argument succeeds, it makes itself true the next time the issue comes up.

[Doctor_J]

10. "Corporate Proaganda" = "Conventional Wisdom"

Big Media must be destroyed

[Steerpike]

11. I had a dream...

that the federal government would subsidize everyone who wants to go to wind and/or solar power for 5 years...100% coverage up front...

then I woke up...

[Overseas]

12. K&R . //nt