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Climate Central reports
The ravages of climate change could severely hurt the ability of utilities in the 11 Western states to generate power unless they "climate proof" their power grid using renewables and energy efficiency, something they are not prepared for, according to a new study[1] [by researchers at Arizona State University, published May 18 in the journal Nature Climate Change].
[...]Higher temperatures and low stream flow reduce coal-fired power plants' ability to use water for cooling, preventing them from operating at full capacity. The most vulnerable power plants could see a reduction in power generation capacity by up to 8.8 percent, the study says.
Renewables take a hit too, but are much less vulnerable to climate change.
[...]The Arizona State study recommends Western states invest in wind, solar, and other "resilient" renewable energy sources while upgrading the power grid and encouraging conservation as ways to overcome some of the challenges climate change poses to the region's power supply.
[1] Link in TFA redirects to the URL that I included.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by BK on Thursday May 21 2015, @08:31PM
The problem with this kind of accounting is that it is one-sided. The rise of industry, whatever we think about it now, has relied on electricity and steel... the production of which has relied on coal. The rise in industry allowed a rise in supportable population, better sanitation, and all kinds of other GOOD THINGS (tm). Electricity itself is essential for so many of today's GOOD THINGS (tm).
So if we want to examine the balance of subsidies, we need to measure the good as well. Famines and diseases prevented. Productive population not lost. Otherwise unproductive land utilized. Etc. It may well be that the hydrocarbon industries have actually been subsidizing civilization.
Granted... other, seemingly better options are now becoming available. But those may owe a debt to the hydrocarbon industry as well.
Scary Stuff.
...but you HAVE heard of me.