Research Shows 100% New Energy Works

Opinion: We now have the technology to create a grid of cheap fully renewable electricity; All that’s missing is the political will

David Timmons, August 22, 2019 (MarketWatch)

“The main solution to climate change is…[stop burning fossil fuels,] make electricity with renewable sources and electrify almost everything…That means running vehicles and trains on electricity, heating buildings with electric heat pumps, electrifying industrial applications such as steel production and using renewable electricity to make hydrogen (similar to natural gas) for other requirements…There is debate, though, about whether fully renewable electricity systems are feasible and how quickly the transition can be made…There are a number of ways to make renewable electricity: hydro, wind, solar photovoltaics, geothermal and burning various forms of biomass (plant matter), besides improving efficiency to use less energy. These are mature technologies with known costs…[Unproven possibilities include wave, tidal and concentrating solar power, but] the mature technologies suffice…[Detailed computer modeling shows] the United States does not need nuclear energy to retire fossil fuels…

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...[A] diversity of renewable sources can reduce costs…[A combination of larger scale solar and wind] reduces cost…[In addition, the grid must grow and] some form of electricity storage is needed. Batteries work well for smoothing short-term fluctuations, but for storing energy for many hours or days, pumped hydroelectric storage is less expensive…[That] shrinks the energy storage need and reduces cost…[Environmental effects] must be managed…[Government policies like a price on carbon] are needed to make a transition to renewable energy…[They will return money to the economy and create jobs…[B]arriers to using renewable electricity are more political and cultural than technological or economic.” click here for more

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