HFS! Green Energy subsidies!

[Capt Worley PE]

Look at the subsidies per megawatt-hour.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903285704576559103573673300.html'>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903285704576559103573673300.html

Waaaaaaaaaaay too much being doled out.

I was honestly surprised by the umbers. I had no idea they were that high for wind, and HFS, what solar sucks up is unreal.

Then there's this:

HONG KONG — It was the Icarus of the solar power industry. And, on Wednesday, it fell to earth.

The main subsidiary of Suntech Power, one of the world’s largest makers of solar panels, collapsed into bankruptcy in a remarkable reversal for what had been part of a huge Chinese government effort to dominate renewable energy industries.

The bankruptcy is a sign of the worldwide consolidation of the solar industry, which has been crippled by a glut of products on world markets and Western tariffs on Chinese products. It also signals China’s unwillingness to continue to subsidize struggling manufacturers in the industry, which is contributing to the steep decline of its green energy pursuits.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/business/energy-environment/chinese-solar-companys-operating-unit-declares-bankruptcy.html?adxnnl=1&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1364391720-uN1kI1blVnBWaks/Uf9+0w

 

[Wolverine]

HFS! That last bit is awesome. If the Red Chinese admit that it doesn't work, I'm pretty sure that over here....? nah, they'll just keep thinking it doesn't work because we haven't thrown enough money at it yet.

One Devil's-Advocate-Observation on the numbers though - since there are more Coal/Gas/Nuclear megawatts, the money is spread around more, giving lower perMW figures.

Still, with that said, here's how the chart should read:

 

[Road Guy]

Damn... It's worse than transit...

 

[cement]

how can we be more like europe if we don't pay more? I should be paying double. Who do I call?

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Europe?

Germany once prided itself on being the “photovoltaic world champion”, doling out generous subsidies—totaling more than $130 billion, according to research from Germany’s Ruhr University—to citizens to invest in solar energy. But now the German government is vowing to cut the subsidies sooner than planned and to phase out support over the next five years. What went wrong?

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/project_syndicate/2012/02/why_germany_is_phasing_out_its_solar_power_subsidies_.html

 

[Ble_PE]

^This is one time we should do the same thing that Europe's (Germany's) doing.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Germany learned a very expensive lesson. We can learn it a lot cheaper.

I have a bad feeling, though. There are a LOT of coal plants beings shuttered in SC.

 

[cdcengineer]

A 50's era coal fired power plant I worked in back east is closing this spring to be converted to natural gas.