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from the The-answer-is-blowin'-in-the-wind dept.
The International Energy Agency [IEA] says that the world's capacity to generate electricity from renewable sources has now overtaken coal.
The IEA says in a new report that last year, renewables accounted for more than half of the increase in power capacity.
The report says half a million solar panels were installed every day last year around the world. In China, it says, there were two wind turbines set up every hour.
Renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and hydro are seen as a key element in international efforts to combat climate change. At this stage, it is the capacity to generate power that has overtaken coal, rather than the amount of electricity actually produced. Renewables are intermittent - they depend on the sun shining or the wind blowing, for example, unlike coal which can generate electricity 24 hours a day all year round. So renewable technologies inevitably generate a lot less than their capacity.
Even so it is striking development.
The IEA's Executive Director Fatih Birol said "We are witnessing a transformation of global power markets led by renewables".
Link to original BBC story: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-37767250
(Score: 2) by frojack on Thursday October 27 2016, @01:48AM
The International Energy Agency [IEA] says that the world's capacity to generate electricity from renewable sources has now overtaken coal.
Too bad more than half of it is offline at any given time. Something about being on a round planet.
Can we start working on deployable storage now?
We've got a long way to go before any solar storage can compete with your typical pile of coal for storage capacity.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 3, Touché) by JNCF on Thursday October 27 2016, @02:25AM
Too bad more than half of it is offline at any given time. Something about being on a round planet.
Too bad there isn't any wind at night.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2016, @02:38AM
There is, but it blows backwards at night so all the wind turbines spin backwards and end up sucking energy out of the grid.
(Score: 3, Touché) by Whoever on Thursday October 27 2016, @02:38AM
Too bad electricity demand is higher when the sun is shining in most countries.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2016, @03:48AM
Too bad the rivers turn off at night.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2016, @03:51AM
Too bad the earth's core cools off at night.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2016, @03:56AM
Too bad microbes stop metabolizing at night. Curse you, round planet!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2016, @05:08AM
Too bad that . . . Wait a minute! This is a fucked meme! You know, a meme that is fucked! Because it is not true to begin with. So let us go, holding our memes tight, into the new morning that is a world without coal. Except for Blacksmiths. Yeah, you can use charcoal, but it burns too quickly! So you really need coke, not the drink, but coal that all the volatile gases have been burned out of. But, you know, blacksmiths amount to less than .ooo34% of all global warming gases in aggregate, so I say, give them a break. Now the damn whitesmiths, they need some regulating! Especially the Trump supporters! Fuch the Trump Supporters! I mean, who would want to be that close to that man's testicles?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2016, @08:21AM
Communes are cheap, but they need to be connected to transport. They can provide charcoal, which works the same as coal for coal fired power stations. Put the power stations along the upper and right edges of the map, and the pollution will blow away off the map. Solar power stations don't make pollution but they cost a lot more and make much less electricity. High tech windmills not only provide electricity, but also make farms more efficient and residences more desirable.
(Score: 2, Troll) by tisI on Thursday October 27 2016, @05:21AM
Solar isn't the only "Renewable" method to generate electricity.
Wind, geothermal, ocean wave, hydroelectric to name a few.
Intelligently deployed, any nation can easily generate all the electric power they need without burning coal or anything else for that matter.
Many civilized nations about the planet are heading in this direction.
The problem here in the US is the majority of yocals still think the earth is flat and won't be bothered with such nonsense as climate change. Just give 'em their guns, they'll be fine.
To make matters worse, our leadership is in the pocket of any and every major corporate interest. All corrupted as hell top to bottom.
In Florida, solar panels and wind turbines are discouraged. Criminal offenses and such may (and have) ensue.
In Oregon (one of the rainiest places on earth), collecting rain water is strictly verboten. That water belongs to the public utility. You have to pay for that.
Can't have anyone get a free ride now can we?
Nah, the mentality here in the US is completely head-up-ass.
We're lead by corrupt incompetent imbeciles too busy sucking corporate dick to do any good.
The rest are busy running in circles blaming everyone and everything for every problem imaginable.
We're pathetic, go on without us into the 21st century.
"Suppose you were an idiot...and suppose you were a member of Congress...but I repeat myself."
(Score: 3, Funny) by frojack on Thursday October 27 2016, @07:30AM
Yeah, great, lets turn it into a political problem. Lots of free wind there.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 1) by shrewdsheep on Thursday October 27 2016, @08:42AM
Discussing this with an expert recently, I got the information that with current technology there would have to be a four-fold net capacity of renewables (with the current mix) installed to match current fossil solutions. So first, there is no problem with day/night wind/no-wind situation. Second, the effective capacity of renewables would be 1/4 of coal. Third, improving storage would help (but currently less effective than installing more renewables).
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Thursday October 27 2016, @01:40PM
Germany is getting about 1/3 of its electricity from renewables now. They're at a much higher latitude than the US, and their insolation is much worse. They have seasons, including winter, they have mountains, and I think we can agree that they're a modern, industrialized country with industries that need a lot of electricity and a people who do not live in mud huts and read by the light of a tallow lamp. They're doing all that, and their economy is still in good shape.
So if the Germans can do it, why can't the United States? What further objection can be whisked out that the Germans have not already disproven?
The Germans are doing themselves geopolitical favors that will pay deep dividends through the coming tumult. The strategic vulnerability of fossil fuels, which has already bitten them several times, won't remain at all much longer for them. They'll have a predictable, much more stable energy supply that they can factor into their planning for business and government. All the money they have previously paid to prop up foreign bottom lines will become coin in their own purse. If the US did the same, the $365 billion we spend every year for just foreign oil would be an economic stimulus for the American economy. Every year. That would be really good.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Thursday October 27 2016, @06:27PM
Yep, we could free Billions to spend on more weapons to still protect those countries we currently get oil from. Because Congress logic.