Bob Stevens: Posted on Saturday, August 09, 2014 12:25 PM

Hello Everyone & Welcome!

I just came across this article by oilprice.com pasted in full below. Here's the link:

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/08/09/solar-and-wind-power-more-expensive-than-thought.aspx

Solar and Wind Power More Expensive Than Thought

By Oilprice.com | More Articles

August 9, 2014 | Comments (0)

This article was written by Oilprice.com -- the leading provider of energy news in the world. A new study from the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, argues that using solar and wind energy may be the most expensive alternatives to carbon-based electricity generation, even though they require no expenditures for fuel.The paper, by economist Charles Frank, compares the benefits and costs of renewable energy. The benefits range from the lack of emissions to the savings in expenditures for fuels. The costs include the construction and maintenance of these plants, and the drop in power generated when winds are calm or the Sun doesn't shine.Frank's conclusion: Wind and solar power cost far more than anyone expected.The paper examined four kinds of carbon-free energy – solar, wind, hydroelectric and nuclear – as well as low-carbon gas generation, and compared them with generators that burn fossil fuels. It also posited a value of $50 per metric ton of reduced carbon emissions and $16 per million BTUs of gas.Frank calculated that electricity generated by a combination of nuclear, hydro and natural gas have much greater benefits than either wind or solar energy because wind and solar generators cost more to operate even though they require no fuel.For example, nuclear plants run at about 90 percent of capacity compared with wind turbines, which are only about 25 percent efficient, and solar plants with only 15 percent efficiency. As a result, Frank wrote, nuclear plants avoid almost four times as much CO2 per unit of capacity as wind turbines, and six times as much as solar generators.Specifically, this means nuclear power offers a savings of more than $400,000 worth of carbon emissions per megawatt of capacity. Solar saves only $69,000 and wind saves $107,000.Still, Frank conceded, nuclear power plants are costly to build. As an example, he cited a new plant at Hinkley Point in southwestern England, which is expected to cost $27 billion by the time it's finished. Its operating costs rise because, like all nuclear plants, it can't be covered by commercial insurance.But like all nuclear plants, it will run 24 hours a day and so, Frank calculates, it will be only 75 percent more expensive per megawatt of energy to build and operate than a solar generator.Into this equation, Frank included the generators powered by fossil fuels that will be needed to take up the slack for the inevitable idle periods for wind farms and solar generators. He calls them "avoided capacity costs" that wouldn't exist if the alternative energy plants hadn't been built in the first place.Therefore, Frank wrote, it would take four wind farms or seven solar generators to replace one coal-fired plant generating similar output. Solar generation costs $189,000 to match 1 megawatt per year generated by coal, and wind power is nearly as expensive. Hydropower, he said, provides a net savings, but only a small one.Frank's paper concluded that the winner in this comparison of zero-emission power generation is nuclear power because, despite initial costs, it is greatly efficient and operates non-stop.

In a previous article posted to my blog here, I compared all factors of setting up a nuclear power plant - now found to be the best method of grid supply with least CO2 emissions & operational cost(s). The example I gave was the state of New Jersey & its 4 nuclear power plants especially the combined output of 4.2 GW. I then compared output to 100,000 PPP EVs @ 100 KWs each for a total of 10 GW or roughly 2.5 times greater than the combined output of 4 New Jersey power plants.

Let's now revisit some key comparison points:

• Current rough estimated costs to build a nuclear power plant is >$15 Billion
• Typical required geographical footprint >750 acres
• Construction time- years
• Nuclear power plant vulnerable to EMP
• Consumer again foots the bill both in utility rates & new taxes

Now consider -in the case of New Jersey- 100,000 PPP EVs (Portable Power Plant Electric Vehicles) @ 100 KW each:

• No cost to consumer or government as mass produced in existing infrastructure of EV manufacturers with existing working capital saving working capital average 75%
• No geographic or carbon footprint
• Manufacturing time for 100,000 EVs 30 days (or less)
• 100,000 consumers now "retired" with disposable income thus boosting local economy- true consumer driven economy
• Vast new federal residual revenues eliminating social or welfare / entitlement programs for all especially the 100,000 newly "retired" VOTING citizens (versus "busing in" illegals at TAXPAYERS full expense!)
• PPP EVs designed to go "24 / 7" for 20 years
• True "Dispersed Autonomous Energy"
• EMP protection ~ immune to EMP!

Can it get any better?

Renewed American Spirit ~ Catch It Then Pass It On

Bob Stevens