QUICK NEWS, April 9: ALL-OF-THE-ABOVE, RISING; THE STRANGE WAY SOLAR AFFECTS ENVIRONMENTALISTS; THE RAPIDLY GROWING EV SUPPLY CHAIN

ALL-OF-THE-ABOVE, RISING All energy sectors now have something to crow about

Editorial, April 7 (Kansas City Star)

“…While America’s longstanding love affair with fossil fuels is far from over, America’s more recent embrace of renewable energy is going strong…[Though] wind and solar power are determined to reduce fossil fuel use and to replace it with cleaner-burning renewables…[it] is happening but only to a degree…[and] wind turbines and biofuels [are proving to be much more than] niche products…

“U.S. energy production hit an all-time high last year of 79.182 quadrillion BTUs. That number has moved steadily higher over the last five years…[B]etween 2007 and 2012…Natural gas production jumped 25 percent, largely because its cost has plummeted…Coal production slumped about 15 percent to its lowest level in a quarter century…”

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“…Coal has been displaced by natural gas at many power plants. The net sum of this trade has been very positive financially...and for air quality…[O]il production grew 28 percent to its highest level since 1995…[W]ind energy production surged 340 percent…[and solar power] production has almost tripled…

“…[T]he pro-fossil fuel crowd can point to the fact that coal, natural gas and oil still make up 78 percent of total U.S. power production…But environmentalists can counter that energy production from renewable sources has risen 100 percent over the last 40 years, while fossil fuel production has limped ahead by just 7 percent…It’s encouraging that public investments in renewable power — especially wind energy — have begun to pay off in measurable terms. They deserve to be continued in Washington and the states…”

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THE STRANGE WAY SOLAR AFFECTS ENVIRONMENTALISTS Solar Energy Seems To Make Environmentalists Mad

Tim Worstall, April 7, 2013 (Forbes)

“…Assuming that we think that there should be solar panels all over the place, that renewables are indeed to be deployed, then of course governments should have every tool at their disposal to incentivise it…[C]heap imported solar panels [should be] available so that installing solar panels is cheaper…The madness in the environmental movement is t0hey are, instead, insisting that…governments not only can, but should, insist that people must buy and install more expensive panels…[This price and demand] will mean fewer panels installed and less renewable energy…exactly the opposite of what we want if we’re to reduce fossil energy use.

“…India has rules insisting that panels are made out of local, Indian [though more expensive are] made, components and assembled locally. The US Government is pursuing a WTO case saying that no, the rules are that you cannot do that. It must be possible for Indians to buy [cheaper] American made components and systems too…[I]f you’re an environmentalist who wants to have as many panels installed as quickly as possible…[you should be backing the U.S. so what sort of madness is it that has them siding with the Indian government?”

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“…Both the US and the EU are entirely crazed on the subject…Both have import taxes (or are at least about to impose them) on Chinese made panels. 60% in the case of the EU. Which is simply insane. Both governments are subsidising the installation of solar panels…[Instead of going for] those cheap panels…The actual response is to slap a tax on them to make them more expensive…and increase the subsidy that must be paid for their installation…[This is] crazed behaviour.

“The actual argument used is that the Chinese government subsidises the Chinese manufacturers…Currently American taxpayers and consumers have to subsidise American producers. EU taxpayers and consumers have to subsidise EU producers…[Then the Chinese government says] we’ll make it so that Chinese taxpayers have to subsidise US and EU consumers and taxpayers. The correct response here is…‘Thanks very much. Send us some more.’ …[But they] tax the cheap imports and thus reject that free money on offer…[T]there’s something about renewables and solar panels that just sends people mad.”

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THE RAPIDLY GROWING EV SUPPLY CHAIN Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Tracker 1Q13; Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Infrastructure Installations by Technology and World Region

1Q 2013 (Navigant Research)

“Plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) deployments to the mass market have fueled a burst of activity in electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) infrastructure development, particularly in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. In these regions, public EVSE networks have been buoyed by large government investments to make PEVs more amenable to the domestic markets…

“Now that the PEV market is becoming more established, however, this government backing is beginning to wane, driving the industry to develop more organically.”

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“Aside from government support, the growth of the EVSE industry is directly tied to the growth and dynamics of the PEV market, PEV owner charging behavior, industry standards, and existing grid infrastructures. These factors differ regionally…North America is the strongest market for PEVs, with strong sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)…

“Because battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have been stronger in Europe and Asia Pacific, these regions have seen greater installations of faster charging EVSE technologies, such as DC fast chargers and battery swap stations. Navigant Research estimates that as of the first quarter of 2013, there are 48,705 publicly accessible charging stations installed globally…”

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