If the Germans can do Why not the Americans? 20% Renewable Sources

[GHook93]

20% of their energy comes from renewable sources, including 10% solar. They are an industrialized energy using country with a sizable population like America, but not a huge land mass or in a desert region where it's sunny all day long, unlike America. Why can we not get there also?

Solar, Wind and Biomass make up less than 1% of our energy sources!

Solar power in Germany hits record level - DailyHerald.com
German utilities say solar power reached a new record level in May when it produced about 10 percent of the country’s overall electricity.

Germany decided after last year’s Fukushima disaster in Japan to phase out nuclear power by 2022. Renewable energies are set to generate 30 percent of the electricity by then, and 80 percent by 2050.

All renewable energy sources — including wind power and biomass plants — last year accounted for about 20 percent of the country’s electricity

 

[flacaltenn]

Here's a clue...

There's about 150KWatts of solar right there..

Really want to be "like Europe"? I thought those suckers were pulling us down the economic tubes fast enough. Germany just threw a hissy fit. Cut tons of solar/wind subsidies, threatened to decomm their nuclear.. They will be burning Spaten beer in a few years.. That would be biomass of course.. It's what greens call a garbage incinerator.. Have at it...

 

[Trajan]

20% of their energy comes from renewable sources, including 10% solar. They are an industrialized energy using country with a sizable population like America, but not a huge land mass or in a desert region where it's sunny all day long, unlike America. Why can we not get there also?

Solar, Wind and Biomass make up less than 1% of our energy sources!

Solar power in Germany hits record level - DailyHerald.com
German utilities say solar power reached a new record level in May when it produced about 10 percent of the country’s overall electricity.

Germany decided after last year’s Fukushima disaster in Japan to phase out nuclear power by 2022. Renewable energies are set to generate 30 percent of the electricity by then, and 80 percent by 2050.

All renewable energy sources — including wind power and biomass plants — last year accounted for about 20 percent of the country’s electricity

If the Germans can do Why not the Americans? 20% Renewable Sources


because they are backing out of subsidizing it.....and are worried that its a market loser.


* June 5, 2012, 6:56 p.m. ET

Europe's Green Energy Suicide
If it's cheap and plentiful—even low in carbon-dioxide emissions—much of the continent wants no part of it.

As austerity bites into European living standards, sparking revolt at the polls, "growth" has become the politician's mantra. But to be competitive, European countries require a secure, plentiful and competitively priced energy supply. Unless Europe radically rethinks its obsession with carbon-dioxide emissions and the anti-fossil fuel energy policies that flow from it, growth is likely to remain elusive.

European Union law mandates that the 27 member countries on average cut their C02 emissions 20% by 2020, compared to 1990 levels. The goal after that is to cut emissions by between 80% and 95% by 2050. In May 2010, a study by the European Commission's energy department estimated the 20% cut would cost 48 billion euros ($66.3 billion) a year. The Commission's draft Energy Roadmap for 2050 is frank: "There is a trade-off between climate change policies and competitiveness."

There is indeed. The consultancy Verso Economics has calculated the opportunity cost of the United Kingdom's subsidy system for renewables to be 10,000 jobs between 2009 and 2010 alone. A report by the Energy Intensive Users Group (which represents energy-intensive British businesses) and the Trades Union Congress cited steel making, ceramics, paper, cement and lime manufacture, aluminum and basic inorganic chemicals as industries facing up to 141% in additional energy costs by 2020 as a result of C02 emissions-reduction schemes. EIUG Director Jeremy Nicholson notes that "the current policies do seem to be angled towards creating a market for overseas competitors."

more at-

Rael Jean Isaac: Europe's Green Energy Suicide - WSJ.com

 

[mudwhistle]

20% of their energy comes from renewable sources, including 10% solar. They are an industrialized energy using country with a sizable population like America, but not a huge land mass or in a desert region where it's sunny all day long, unlike America. Why can we not get there also?

Solar, Wind and Biomass make up less than 1% of our energy sources!

Solar power in Germany hits record level - DailyHerald.com
German utilities say solar power reached a new record level in May when it produced about 10 percent of the country’s overall electricity.

Germany decided after last year’s Fukushima disaster in Japan to phase out nuclear power by 2022. Renewable energies are set to generate 30 percent of the electricity by then, and 80 percent by 2050.

All renewable energy sources — including wind power and biomass plants — last year accounted for about 20 percent of the country’s electricity

Germany doesn't have a corrupt EPA that is the political arm of liberals.

Oh.....and Germans are much more honest as a whole as well as self-reliant than most Americans.

 

[GHook93]

Here's a clue...

There's about 150KWatts of solar right there..

Really want to be "like Europe"? I thought those suckers were pulling us down the economic tubes fast enough. Germany just threw a hissy fit. Cut tons of solar/wind subsidies, threatened to decomm their nuclear.. They will be burning Spaten beer in a few years.. That would be biomass of course.. It's what greens call a garbage incinerator.. Have at it...

Who said be like Europe? I said be like Germany! There are a few aspects of other countries that I admire other than America. America is still tops overall in many many ways.

Countries I admire are - Germany, Canada, Austrailia, Israel, Chile, Japan and UAE! All for different and various reasons!

 

[flacaltenn]

Here's a clue...

There's about 150KWatts of solar right there..

Really want to be "like Europe"? I thought those suckers were pulling us down the economic tubes fast enough. Germany just threw a hissy fit. Cut tons of solar/wind subsidies, threatened to decomm their nuclear.. They will be burning Spaten beer in a few years.. That would be biomass of course.. It's what greens call a garbage incinerator.. Have at it...

Who said be like Europe? I said be like Germany! There are a few aspects of other countries that I admire other than America. America is still tops overall in many many ways.

Countries I admire are - Germany, Canada, Austrailia, Israel, Chile, Japan and UAE! All for different and various reasons!

All fine choices for countries demonstrating your good taste.. The list of "green" alternatives -- not so much.. What we've learned from those indulgences into "alternatives" is that NONE of them are alternatives by definition.. They are supplements at best. So there is a practical limit to their % composition in any grid.

 

[idb]

20% of their energy comes from renewable sources, including 10% solar. They are an industrialized energy using country with a sizable population like America, but not a huge land mass or in a desert region where it's sunny all day long, unlike America. Why can we not get there also?

Solar, Wind and Biomass make up less than 1% of our energy sources!

Solar power in Germany hits record level - DailyHerald.com
German utilities say solar power reached a new record level in May when it produced about 10 percent of the country’s overall electricity.

Germany decided after last year’s Fukushima disaster in Japan to phase out nuclear power by 2022. Renewable energies are set to generate 30 percent of the electricity by then, and 80 percent by 2050.

All renewable energy sources — including wind power and biomass plants — last year accounted for about 20 percent of the country’s electricity

Because it would infringe on Americans' constitutional right to burn as much hydrocarbons as they damn well please!!!

 

[Katzndogz]

20% in a small country in Germany isn't like 20% in a country the size of the United States.

 

[Political Junky]

20% in a small country in Germany isn't like 20% in a country the size of the United States.

Huh?
We have thousands and thousands of acres of plains and desert areas that would be ideal for solar and wind energy, not to mention having solar panels on homes in cities.

 

[Skull Pilot]

20% in a small country in Germany isn't like 20% in a country the size of the United States.

Huh?
We have thousands and thousands of acres of plains and desert areas that would be ideal for solar and wind energy, not to mention having solar panels on homes in cities.

I for one don't want to uglify our open wild spaces with solar panels and windmills.

We have more than enough acreage of south and south west facing rooftops that we could exploit for solar panels at a much lower cost than large scale solar farms

http://www.usmessageboard.com/energy/215070-large-scale-small-scale-solar.html#post5023665

 

[flacaltenn]

For Wind, it's "integration fraction" on the grid has NOTHING to do with available acreage. If you have a technology that doesn't work on Tues and most of Thurs -- It doesn't matter HOW MUCH of it you have. You still go dark on Tues and part of Thurs. And the concept that you're gonna IMPORT wind from areas that AREN'T under a 600 mile dome of High Pressure is a little bit of fairy dust. It assumes that SOMEONE -- somewhere else has EXCESS wind capacity to give. That only happens in the world of Hydro dams, nuclear plants, and LARGE fossil generators. In fact for wind -- operating at an average of 30% of the capacity you PAID for is a GREAT day at the ole wind farm..

 

[GHook93]

20% in a small country in Germany isn't like 20% in a country the size of the United States.

True in some regards. However, Germany has a population of 88 mil, which is roughly 28% of the US's 310 mil. However German's land mass is much much smaller than America's. A much smaller country like German should have trouble than a larger country like the US in utilizing renewable sources, yet they don't!

 

[DGS49]

Germany is deluding itself about its energy future. They plan to build massive wind farms off shore, but refuse to confront the fact that wind can only be a backup. They are decommissioning nuke plants, but have only one way to go to replace them: Burning fossil fuels. And they are building FF plants right now.

They say they are going to do a better job of sequestering the CO2 emissions, but have no place to put the gas. All of their gas storage capacity is used currently in storing Russian natural gas - which they cannot stop because of Russian volatility.

The Greens have way, way too much clout in Germany and are causing that great nation to act like fools.

 

[lectricgenius]

Because we Americans have been far too spoiled for far too long! As my friend just told me-- in the beginning gas was cheap so we all started driving cars-- guess what big oil has done to us now; jacking the price upward nearly everyday. To quote him 'that is how all addictions get started'.

 

[flacaltenn]

Because we Americans have been far too spoiled for far too long! As my friend just told me-- in the beginning gas was cheap so we all started driving cars-- guess what big oil has done to us now; jacking the price upward nearly everyday. To quote him 'that is how all addictions get started'.

Actually gasoline and oil have very little to do with powering an electrical grid. But being an 'lectricgenius -- you knew that right?

We might be addicted to coal ((which is STILL cheap)) or nat gas ((which is almost unlimited in supply)) but a hefty dose of nuclear would fix the planet's fever, free the salmon, and stop REAL pollution from coal.. Just not gonna break the "addiction" by playing at the sparse list of alternatives. Some with severe enviro consequences and all with limited range of application.

 

[Wiseacre]

I can virtually guarantee that Germany won't get 10% of their electricity from solar in the winter months, not even close. Maybe in the summer months, when most of the country doesn't need heat or AC, but otherwise not likely. They have much smaller average living space, and they do much better at conservation than we do.

 

[flacaltenn]

I can virtually guarantee that Germany won't get 10% of their electricity from solar in the winter months, not even close. Maybe in the summer months, when most of the country doesn't need heat or AC, but otherwise not likely. They have much smaller average living space, and they do much better at conservation than we do.

That's because they like living in quarters resembling a WWII Diesel sub running silent.
Except when they're out on the Autobon.

 

[Political Junky]

I can virtually guarantee that Germany won't get 10% of their electricity from solar in the winter months, not even close. Maybe in the summer months, when most of the country doesn't need heat or AC, but otherwise not likely. They have much smaller average living space, and they do much better at conservation than we do.

That's because they like living in quarters resembling a WWII Diesel sub running silent.
Except when they're out on the Autobon.

Have you been in Germany?

 

[Wiseacre]

I can virtually guarantee that Germany won't get 10% of their electricity from solar in the winter months, not even close. Maybe in the summer months, when most of the country doesn't need heat or AC, but otherwise not likely. They have much smaller average living space, and they do much better at conservation than we do.

That's because they like living in quarters resembling a WWII Diesel sub running silent.
Except when they're out on the Autobon.

Have you been in Germany?

I have, for several years when I was still in the USAF. I remember many of their houses are multi-family, not a lot of living space per person. And they do have a lot of cooler cloudy weather. Solar power is not a feasible alternative for them until it gets a lot cheaper.

 

[flacaltenn]

I can virtually guarantee that Germany won't get 10% of their electricity from solar in the winter months, not even close. Maybe in the summer months, when most of the country doesn't need heat or AC, but otherwise not likely. They have much smaller average living space, and they do much better at conservation than we do.

That's because they like living in quarters resembling a WWII Diesel sub running silent.
Except when they're out on the Autobon.

Have you been in Germany?

Many times Dude.. For weeks at a time.. I had to constantly fight the urge to turn on some lights or heat. Kiel Mostly.. Far up north where they don't get many Americans. Sometime in Hamburg also.. Stayed in hotels and private homes. Worked at 3 or 4 diff German businesses. It was dark then (early 90s) and will only get darker if the radicals keep control of the energy policies there..