POST-ELECTION THOUGHTS
In these trying and difficult days, I am uplifted by the
move forward that our new administration will put forth with regards to some
sort of Green Energy Plan to deal with climate change. I am bolstered by the incredible development
and deployment of so many renewable technologies that have been occurring
worldwide. With the release of the great
ingenuity of the scientific, technical, and economic base here in the US, freed
from the political chains of the past, the potential is enormous and
positive. It will take time, and it does
not mean we will stop using fossil fuels.
They will continue to be a part of our transition and will hold
appropriate use in the future.
The fear that this transition will be “too expensive” again
hides the truth that we spend over $1.3trillion each year in the US, and this
does not count the health, environmental, and social costs it incurs. Investments in new renewable technology will
begin to replace what we currently spend on infrastructure and subsidies. It will create new industries…instead of
building factories to make modular nuclear power plants, we need to build
factories manufacturing solar PV cells, wind turbines, and all the associated
infrastructure…here in the US creating so many jobs lost overseas. The deployment of renewable technologies will
bolster local economies with jobs and revenue.
It will create a huge new “industry” making money for everyone! There
are so many very talented people, and people with money to invest, who are
waiting for the incentives to put their great ideas and innovations to
use. This is happening all over the
world, with the surprising largest projects occurring in Australia. It is going to happen here!
https://reneweconomy.com.au/fortescue-leads-stampede-into-green-energy-with-stunning-plans-for-235-gigawatts-of-wind-and-solar-27936/?fbclid=IwAR1pJGelMsxXrIFoHc95iNKyTsT6XN84Owr59Pfqysp3n1EmS1GRh0Hel8M
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-09/china-s-aiko-solar-will-spend-2-87b-to-build-plants-in-zhejiang
https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/11/05/volkswagen-electrify-astypalaia/
The nuclear industry continues to suck money for costly new
technologies that will never make any huge impact on our energy needs. They will continue to be too expensive,
unsafe, environmentally damaging through the entire fuel cycle, and will be
unnecessary by the time they reach commercialization. As with fossil fuels, their use will play a
role when/where it is most appropriate.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/llewellynking/2020/10/13/new-design-molten-salt-reactor-is-cheaper-to-run-consumes-nuclear-waste/?sh=204b3e9d33c6
https://www.kcbx.org/post/planned-and-unplanned-shutdown-diablo-canyon-halts-all-electricity-generation#stream/0
My biggest thrill is in the “sudden” awareness in
Hydrogen…especially GREEN HYDROGEN. It
is just common sense that this is the future, and now its economic potential is
beginning to be realized by industry and policymakers. In the future, I will focus on this, since
its potential to STORE renewable energy is key to our sustainable future.
https://e360.yale.edu/features/green-hydrogen-could-it-be-key-to-a-carbon-free-economy
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-19/tesla-powerwall-rival-seeks-to-bring-hydrogen-into-your-home
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-01/-hydrogen-wars-pit-europe-v-china-for-700-billion-business?srnd=premium
Let the sunshine!!!
