QUICK NEWS, January 5: THE COMMUNITY SOLAR ANSWER; THE BARGAIN THAT IS WIND; A NEW EV DEBUTING
THE COMMUNITY SOLAR ANSWER Want to install solar panels but can't? No problem.
Jason Margolis, January 1, 2016 (Public Radio International)
“…[T]he solar industry got a big holiday gift at the end of 2015 — Congress extended an investment tax credit (ITC) to build new solar panels…[but many] of us living in dense urban areas are finding it challenging to go solar…That doesn’t mean we can’t own solar panels…They just can’t be on our roofs…[With community solar, a person can] own a few solar panels in [a] field and they pump electrons into the electricity grid. Due to federal tax rebates and incentives from the state of Massachusetts, [the solar electrons are cheap [enough to earn a discount from the utility]…So, if your bill is $100 now, you’d pay $90 with community solar…Besides Massachusetts, community solar is gaining traction in a handful of states providing extra incentives: New York, California, Minnesota and Colorado…[T]here’s no upfront capital cost…In order to make the community solar business model work though, you have to commit to it [through] a 20-year contract…” click here for more
THE BARGAIN THAT IS WIND The strong economics of wind energy; Major international companies are using wind power to go green and save money.
John Abraham, 28 December 2015 (The Guardian)
“…[Companies are investing in wind because it] is competitive economically…[For] industry leaders like Unilever, BNP, Aveda, IKEA, LEGO, Google, Microsoft, SAP, and others...[it] adds value...Companies want to reduce their emissions and they want access to reliable, inexpensive power…For many of them, wind is the answer…Globally, the average cost of wind is $83 per megawatt-hour…[T]he averages for coal and gas are $84 and $98, respectively. In the USA, gas is slightly cheaper than wind but this is the only large economy where that is the case…[S]olar photovoltaic energy averages $122 globally…There are some additional [system integration costs, market balancing costs, the cost of balancing out variability, and] the costs of reinforcing the grid…[which] might typically amount to 30% of the total costs. However, they are reduced with a properly functioning electrical market…The renewable energy sector also supplies many high-paid and high-skilled jobs…” click here for more
A NEW EV DEBUTING Mystery electric-car maker shows teaser video
Chris Woodyard, December 31, 2015 (USA Today)
“Faraday Future, the mysterious automotive startup, has posted a teaser video ahead of the debut of its new model next week…Faraday doesn't share much…They focus on the notion of a clean, possibly electric next-generation car for a new age that includes shared transportation…But it does manage to throw out a few tantalizing tidbits…The car is only shown as a shadow. Its outline makes it looks like a city pod car, like Google's self-driving car concept or the BMW i3 electric…The idea that Faraday could be showing its new model at the Consumer Electronics Show only months after the company's existence became known would seem to indicate that it is farther along than industry experts thought.” click here for more
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