From Forbes:
Diablo Canyon Power Plant, 2009 photo from offshore. The light beige domes are the containment structures for Unit 1 and 2 reactors. The brown building is the turbine building where electricity is generated and sent to the grid. In the foreground is the Administration Building (black and white stripes). Picture: “Mike” Michael L. Baird via Wikimedia
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) issued a press release today stating that they have signed a deal with PG&E PCG +0.10%, IBEW local 1245, the Coalition of California Utility Employees, Friends of the Earth, Environment California, and the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility.
There is an implied quid pro quo. The groups will support PG&E’s request for an extension from the California Lands Commission of its land use permit that allows access to ocean cooling water at the Commission’s June 28 meeting. In return, PG&E will agree to withdraw its 20-year license extension application at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission . Instead, it will aim to retire the two-unit site when its current licenses expire in 2024 and 2025.
The press release claims that the electricity produced by the plant will be replaced with a combination of wind, solar, and “energy efficiency.”
“Energy efficiency and clean renewable energy from the wind and sun can replace aging nuclear plants — and this proves it. The key is taking the time to plan. Nuclear power versus fossil fuels is a false choice based on yesterday’s options,” said NRDC President Rhea Suh.
That’s a deceptive fig leaf; it is physically impossible for wind, solar and energy efficiency to replace the steady production of a nuclear power plant. Producing the same total number of kilowatt-hours each year is not the same as producing the same kilowatt-hours on a minute by minute, hour by hour or day by day basis.
Full story here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2016/06/21/breaking-nrdc-announces-pge-has-agreed-to-kill-diablo-canyon/
Over at Friends of the Earth (FOE) they say:
Diablo Canyon is the nuclear plant that catalyzed the formation of Friends of the Earth in 1969. When David Brower founded Friends of the Earth the Diablo Canyon was the first issue on the organization’s agenda and Friends of the Earth has been fighting the plant ever since. This agreement is not only a milestone for renewable energy, but for Friends of the Earth as an organization.
Gosh, what will they do now? Get a new target I suppose. Maybe they’ll ask that California be the first “automobile free state” in the USA, after all, all the automotive manufacturing plants have already left California. Yeah, that’s the ticket.
Bloomberg had the best headline: Losing a Nuclear Weapon Against Climate Change
Some environmentalists are thrilled at Tuesday’s announcement of the planned closing of California’s Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. They might want to reconsider: Fighting climate change requires more nuclear power, not less.
The losers in this plan, which is pending regulatory approval, are all those who will suffer the consequences of climate change. That Diablo Canyon’s two reactors could be allowed to shut down is alarming evidence that too little effort is being made to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The climate-friendly electricity that the Diablo Canyon plant generates, which amounts to about 9 percent of California’s power, would be lost.
Welcome to the darkness. You thought the Enron trading scam induced blackouts in California around 2000 were bad? Wait til 2025. Let’s all sit in the dark and chant kumabahya while we wait for wind and solar to come online again.
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It’s about time the nuclear plants were shut down.
Notice how robust the wind and solar power are yesterday and again today in California during the first mild heat wave of the summer. 10,000 MW produced hour after hour.
All that is required is a bit more grid-scale storage, and more solar. Wind resources are nearly tapped out in California, so renewable growth is in solar.
Biogas is also set to increase with Dr Park’s patented gas-from-human-waste process.
It’s a great day in California.
I think you’ve had a little too much Fairy Dust today…
It’s not surprising to read the negative commentary here at WUWT. So much belief in a disproven technology, the most expensive way to boil water (and unsafe too): nuclear fission. So little belief by the WUWT commenters (most, but not all) in proven, low-cost wind technology, solar PV, and the belittling of grid-scale storage is a wonder to behold. The simple fact is that the cost to build nuclear is increasing, while the cost to build solar and wind is decreasing rapidly.
Did anyone notice that the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant has several issues against it:
o Once-through cooling via the Pacific Ocean, in violation of state law. To correct that and use a cooling tower or otherwise come into compliance will cost PG&E many billions. see http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/environment/article39459930.html
o Many more earthquake fault lines are very near the plant, far more than were known about when the plant was approved and built.
o Just how much money does the Diablo Canyon plant lose each day, pumping out 2200 MWe into the grid when the wholesale price is 2 cents per kWh? Other nuclear plants across the country are shutting down when wholesale prices are 3 cents . The assertion is that the nuclear plants have a 5 cent per kWh operating cost.
o It’s very easy to violate a law that defies common sense.
o Earthquakes in that part of CA are of no threat to nuclear plants.
o Just how much does a solar kWh cost, for a comparison?
So little belief by the WUWT commenters (most, but not all) in proven, low-cost wind technology, solar PV, and the belittling of grid-scale storage
I have frequently gone against the grain in this forum, so you can’t accuse me of group think. But the fact is that every time you have promoted any of these solutions, you’ve gotten crushed. That said, Canada thanks you for your efforts.
Just how much money does the Diablo Canyon plant lose each day, pumping out 2200 MWe into the grid when the wholesale price is 2 cents per kWh?
So by that metric would you agree that the new solar site in Nevada should be shut down 6+ times over?
The whole project cost slightly under $1 billion and SolarReserve holds a 25-year contract to supply power to NV Energy for $135 per megawatt hour
Oh piss off Roger.
Nobody with any sense reads your vile, ignorant, anti-nuclear propaganda any more.
Geoff.
davidmhoffer,
Who in Canada thanks you for Roger’s efforts?
Many in Ontario have already been driven into energy poverty because of Ontario’s energy policy.
Wind and solar are still being added in Ontario although there is no increased demand for electricity.
Ontario often gives away electricity free or sells it at below cost to produce to Michigan, New York and Quebec which Ontario residents have to pay for.
Ontario residents have to pay for the production of electricity that the Ontario government gives away to others.
Roger,
I highly doubt that you have solar panels on your roof (as I do). If you did, you would understand that they produce the most power when you need it the least.
Roger Sowell June 21, 2016 at 5:59 pm
and
Roger Sowell June 21, 2016 at 4:59 pm
It’s a great day in California.
You forgot something…. the Diabolo Canyon power plant is “still” up and running at 100% cap. Also hydro out of Hoover Dam. And the gas powered plants are still chugging away. All still there back stopping undependable unreliable uneconomical “renewables” . Yup Diabolo Canyon power plant was still safely and economically providing electrical power for Californians.
Thus you are correct, It’s a great day in California.
For now.
michael
http://atomicinsights.com/roger-sowell-professional-advocate-for-natural-gas-companies-wrote-a-post-labeling-me-a-nuclear-nut/
Umm. You don’t seem to be a disinterested party.
Another activist who actually believes that repeating lies will force reality to change.
“Another activist who actually believes that repeating lies will force reality to change.”
Well, you missed the point. He has been an advocate for more natural gas since at least 2009.
From his site he doesn’t seem to be an activist, he’s an advocate.
Advocating for higher natural gas use is sort of silly.
Long term natural gas is going to be much more expensive than nuclear, Closure of nuclear plants will simply make natural gas more expensive now.
We only have an estimated 84 years of gas at 2013 consumption. As we draw down the gas the price rises as more marginal reserves are exploited, further the EROI (energy return on investment) goes down.
Burning more gas will speed us to the point where using natural gas is less beneficial than using other sources. But it does make being in the gas industry more profitable.
If we closed all the nuclear plants the price of electricity would go up because natural gas power electricity would be higher cost at the higher volume of consumption. The only people who would benefit are the natural gas producers.
Closing Diablo Canyon looks dumb at this point if it takes environment activism and not a corporate decision to close it. The uptick in natural gas stocks at the announcement indicates they will be profiting at the expense of the California consumer.
84 years – where did that come from – how about the frozen methane at the bottom of oceans? We have methane being formed in every trash pile and dump.
“84 years – where did that come from – how about the frozen methane at the bottom of oceans? We have methane being formed in every trash pile and dump.”.
I looked up technically extractable reserves. It was at the top of the list.
You may substitute your favorite estimate here. By the time we use half of the 84 years (42) it will be too expensive to be useful.
The more gas we use for power the more we raise home heating costs (lots of people use natural gas).
Sure there is methane everywhere. But to be consumed affordably it has to be located at the end of a pipe.
By the time you get to arctic gas, collect arctic gas, liquify arctic gas, ship arctic gas, unship arctic gas, and pipe arctic gas, the EROI is horribly low and the gas is expensive. It will make renewables look cheap.
Gas from trash will be cheaper.
I should also point out that California lost 2200 MW of nuclear power 4 years ago, when SONGS shut down suddenly due to new, but faulty, steam generators that leaked radioactive steam into the California skies. (San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station = SONGS). The NRC took a dim view of the shenanigans that Southern California Edison performed and, rather than identify then correct the bad steam generators, SCE shut the entire plant down forever.
Somehow, and this is a complete mystery to all the naysayers here at WUWT, the state has muddled through without those oh-so-necessary nuclear plants. Baseload and all that, see above for the blah-blah-blah. Meanwhile, more solar, more wind, and more minor renewables have been installed along with efficient and clean-burning natural gas.
Somehow, the lights have stayed on.
I checked the ISO website a bit ago, to search out all the grid emergencies, the Flex Alerts issued, since 2012 when SONGS stopped operating. The count of Flex Alerts is 8 in the four years post-SONGS, compared to 42 in the prior 8 years while it was running (that’s 2 per year after, and 5-plus-a-bit per year before). Sure seems like a nuclear plant helps to stabilize the grid, what-say? see http://www.caiso.com/Documents/Alert_WarningandEmergenciesRecord.pdf
Seriously, although I enjoy poking fun at the WUWT commenters who are so into nuclear cheerleading, one can rest assured that the state’s regulatory agencies have several mandates that they must follow at all times with regard to the electrical grid and the power that flows through it. First, and foremost, electricity in this state must be safe. A close second to safety is the power must be reliable.
Third in the priority system is the power must be priced reasonably, considering a complicated analysis of first cost, operating costs, fuel or other energy input costs, expected lifetime, and incidental costs imposed on the system. This means that Yes, the regulators know quite well that the sun shines during they day. They also know the wind can stop, or begin flowing, at any time. They also know that nuclear plants require full backup for the days or weeks or months that they go offline.
Fourth in the priority system is the power generation and transmission must comply with the state policies and environmental laws, which in this case number in the hundreds.
California is doing quite well without the SONGS reactors. It will do even better without the Diablo Canyon reactors.
OMG, the world almost, kinda, could have, maybe, sorta ended because of SONGS !! …or not…“There was a small radiation leak as the result of a water leak in Unit 3 at the plant, but there was no threat to the public or to our workers,” said Jennifer Manfre, a spokeswoman for Edison. “…..Dang Fairy Dust must get in your eyes! LOL
Solar and Wind don’t comply with environmental laws. How many of these projects were subject to Environmental Impact studies before construction?
The Delta Smelt kills Agri-Business but Wind and Solar somehow get an Eco pass for some twisted reason.
The lights in California stay on because of imports — including the Hoover Dam.
Roger, clearly you are a knowledgeable person. Could you please share knowledge regarding new, but faulty, steam generators that leaked radioactive steam into the California skies – how much radioactivity was released? Can you compare a 40-year old Diablo Canyon nuclear plant to brand new Ivanpah, CA and Crescent Dunes, NV solar plants?
It’s pronounced NUKULAR. At least CA will be safe from the giant mutant ants in your head.
California has all of the energy it needs. Just a few more windmills and mirrors and it’ll be perfect.
http://energyalmanac.ca.gov/electricity/total_system_power.html
293,000 is the same as 198,000, right? See, shutting down the 2GW of capacity was totally invisible. Totally.
Yes, comrade, the 5 year plan on energy production in California is ahead of schedule! Nothing can stop us now.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/judeclemente/2014/10/27/hey-epa-the-california-model-doesnt-work-and-well-need-more-electricity/#c682cfa10ec9
By that unicorn optimism, Cali will be heaven on earth once all utilities are done. Wow.
Roger you don’t like birds, right? How about minced eagle on your plate? How come so called green power gets a free ride by the save the earthers?
Keep it up Roger. The emotion and vitriol in response to someone who conducts themselves as reasonably as you do speaks volumes as to the real source of their objections to you.
Philip Schaeffer June 21, 2016 at 9:44 pm
Hi Philip!
Hmmm, “The emotion and vitriol in response ” are you sure that is what is happening inside the heads of those who respond to Roger Sowell ? Are you mistaking mockery and laughter for this “vitriol”? Or is it perhaps frustration and exasperation? Myself its just disappointment and pity. None of us can know from the mere written word what emotions are peculating inside another’s brain. We don’t get to see the hand gestures and facial expressions of those writing, so at times we “fill” in what those missing forms of communication are from are own stereotypes and biases.
People here are really quite gentle
michael
Roger forgot to mention:
According to figures from the California Air Resources Board, total greenhouse gas emissions from power plants in California increased by 35% in 2012, partly due to the early closure of San Onofre.
Whoops!
Re: Philip Schaeffer June 21, 2016 at 9:44 pm
1. Mr. Sowell uses (and has used for years, here) half-truths and falsehood to support his views, therefore, he is not “reasonable.” He is cool and collected (so far, heh), but, he is irrational.
2. The reason for many of us being vehement toward Mr. Sowell (and his ilk) is:
1) inexpensive power is essential to a thriving economy;
2) Mr. Sowell’s fantasy-based ideas will ruin our economy;
3) we care about the economic well-being of people;
4) national security depends on a thriving economy (low GDP = weak military);
5) we care about our nation.
In short, we are writing so fervently here because we love people and we love our country.
I hope, Mr. Schaeffer, that your inability to understand our indignation is only because you are ignorant about the facts about nuclear power and not that you do not care…
The battle for energy sanity is, ultimately about FREEDOM.
Go, WUWT and Anthony and the mods!! Truth will win!
(and, well said above, Mike (not a) Morlock)
Hum, guess you did not study the new job formation numbers?
Well, I’m still waiting for the great calamity predicted by many here where the end of western civilization is finally caused by these stupid power systems engineers and their renewable bullsh…. Oh, whats that? The grid is working fine? Even in places where they generate 30% of their electricity from renewables?
Normally I would engage the foolishness of RS. But this is California doing this and the Sierra Nevada club’s stated (in email) intention is to drive up power costs with renewable energy and make it so expensive it drives out the riff-raff.
This should help them achieve that.
California has a ways to go to have the most expensive power in the CONUS. They are about 3 cents per KW-H short of perfection. This should put them over the top and increase their carbon footprint. A win-win.
It is claimed that going green is cheap and reliable. It is also said it is expensive and unreliable. We need a guinea pig to jump in and find out. It is nice that California is an eager volunteer.
Roger Sowell
Define: “a bit more”
Give a meaningful figure for: “more” {solar}
lol
*******************************************
1. That every single one of the ignorant assertions about nuclear power Mr. Sowell has ever made at WUWT has been roundly refuted is well known to everyone here. To everyone with the exception of Mr. Sowell. Keep it up, Mr. Sowell — you make a FINE case for nuclear power with every post you make!
2. Also, every empty argument that Mr. Sowell has ever asserted in favor of solar power has been soundly and repeatedly refuted. See below video.
Ozzie Zehner, “Green Illusions”
(youtube)
(from above video)
Solar Cell Tech Is Not Currently Able to Meet Economy’s Energy Demand
[6:55] As of 2012, less than ONE TENTH OF 1%, i.e., less than .001% (< .1 Quads), of total energy (114 Quads. for N. America) is supplied by solar.
[7:11] Graphic of N. American total energy v. solar (tiny dot vs. BIG BUCKET).
In other words, given the current (and for the foreseeable future) technology
and given
the production and maintenance cost of deploying THAT much current solar technology,
Mr. Sowell’s assertions are: NONSENSE.
Facts did not win the day, here: smug, blind, emotion did.
******************************
Oh, and wind? …. Did you say WIND? (Laughter) Check out the percentage of total power supplied to the grid by wind annually in CA. Not much.
Further, given the NEGATIVE EROEI of wind…. What? …. Oh! That’s right. I forgot. We are playing “pretend.” We aren’t going to deal with real world facts and figures. Got it! (wink, wink)
.
.
.
Pathetic.
Since there is next to no grid storage at present, “a bit more” sounds a bite optimistic.
Let us know if Solar is still putting out 7600 MW on Dec 21st.
Roger, this might be of interest to you, maybe not.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-aliso-canyon-blackouts-20160405-story.html
Let’s talk again about how stable California’s electricity supply is after the end of summer.
Well I would personally like to thank Roger Sowell and all his brothers in arms for their efforts to arrive at this brilliant decision. For all of you who think I’ve lost my mind…
BC’s “Site C” is scheduled to come on line in…. wait for it…. 2024. Coincidence? Probably. 1.1 GW, and that’s just the hydro project. There’s a much larger project that will see a sea port for LNG soon.
So as a Canadian, I really do want to thank the anti-nuke lobbyists for creating a market for us. Please do not worry about rolling black outs due to the nuclear plant being shut down. We’ve got your back. And you have money that is the color green which we will happily accept in trade.
Once again, thank you Roger.
Until BC decides to outlaw LNG exports !! They are not considered “Green” ya know !
This closure retires 2160 MW of reliable power. One of the “advantages” of closing Diabalo Canyon, according to Ralph Cavanagh of the Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC) is:
Ponder than for just a moment. The problem with nuclear is it does not easily ramp down to allow you to purchase more expensive, less reliable “renewable” power. Normally I’d say public school education without a doubt, and second rate at that. However it’s entirely possible Ralph is the product of an elite private education system. The wonderful thing about equality in modern American is it gives everyone an equal chance to be a moron.
Then consider this from the LA Times:
I have no words, except keep your checkbooks handy — we will be bailing out California when it all collapses into ruin.
If California goes dark, I vote that we institute a reverse Civil War — *force* them to secede from the Union.
..President Trump will definitely like that idea !! ;o)
No civil war needed, just cut the power links into the state, and stop anyone trying to leave at the borders.
Standard procedure to stop the infection spreading.
Be sure to build a big fence around the entire state first.
‘The wonderful thing about equality in modern American is it gives everyone an equal chance to be a moron.’ What a wonderful line Alan. Like it.
YOU JUST CAN’T FIX STUPID, CAN YOU???
Cars, trains buses, households, businesses, manufacturing plants, offices…around the world depend on fossil fuels. Aeroplanes use the highest grade fossil fuel we can produced, so it’s totally hypocritical all these Greens flying back and forth in aeroplanes.
The world is totally dependent upon fossil fuels, It a lie to suggest otherwise. Here’s the facts on Global Energy Market share:
Coal 30%, Oil 30% Gas 30% Renewables 6%
It’s predicted to stay that way to 2030.
Developing Nations are conquering global poverty using Coal, which is fuelling their own Industrial Revolution that made White Western Nations so powerful.
By 2030 these Developing Nations will consume 64% of the Global Energy produced. And as pointed out above, their appetite is for cheap affordable coal.
Non-fossil fuel alternatives exist for all that you mention, except planes (though NASA is working on that)
Here’s a German state going to hydrogen powered rail (hydrogen produced from wind power)
http://www.railway-technology.com/features/featuregerman-state-thrusts-hydrogen-powered-hydrail-into-the-spotlight-4928956/
Griff do you believe every political announcement made. Seriously it’s a discussion piece for an election platform, there are no monies even committed or changing hands. Our little german politician in the article is making a bold stupid statement that he will never be around for when it all comes to nothing .. what he gets is the green vote in the meantime.
Seriously Griff when you are going to google articles at least read them and check has anyone actually put any money down and contracts signed or is this just another green PR stunt.
If it wasn’t so far off I would have a small wager with you that in 2025 there are no hydrogen trains in Schleswig-Holstein.
Griff, from your link:
To power the locomotives, the hydrail equipment relies on the creation of fuel cells, a result of combining hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is supplied by an on-board fuel cell power module which produces electricity, either from batteries or fed through overhead wires, or catenaries. Since combustion is replaced by an electrochemical process, no harmful emissions are produced.
Gibberish. Obviously the opportunity to be a moron isn’t limited to the US.
How much electricity does it take to break the H/O bond? Now where do we get that power from?
Billy you missed what the article was really about which was the last bit
“one of the key goals of the Eleventh International Hydrail Conference taking place in Birmingham this July.”
It was a sales pitch for why the German politician needed to go on a taxpayer paid junket and they don’t even have a plan.
This was our front page today
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/perths-max-light-rail-plan-set-to-be-dumped-for-12-billion-bus-service/news-story/853cd6f590dd099801a0bb4f17f99829
Out new light rail electric train system for the city promised in the 2013 election went by the wayside because it’s too expensive. Politicians say anything in an election to get elected until you see a contract don’t believe it.
The citizens of the world need to reeducate the Political class . . they are broke and have no funds for expensive power. Technology has not yet advanced to the point of any green sources to provide 24/7/365 power.
So, all green sources must have 100% fossil or nuclear back up that can come on board in seconds. When the poor and old cannot pay for heat and A/C start dying what will the greens say? Oh, yes that is the term sustainable populations comes from – hint they want to reduce human population by 2/3?
Want to pick the two out of three that must go?
Remember that included in the 6% renewable sourced energy is hydro. Building a new Hoover, Roosevelt or other large new dam would be more difficult then building new nuclear plants. I suppose that you could burn the accumulated environmental impact studies for energy could qualify as biomass energy.
One problem with fuel cell vehicles is that each form conversion of energy, i.e. electricity to hydrogen to electricity will normally result in a loss at each stage. The main reason Germany and Denmark have had success with wind and solar is the ability to exchange power with Sweden. Sweden has abundant hydro power and can ramp its’ generating production up and down rapidly to absorb fluctuations in wind and solar production on the continent. Essentially, Germany’s storage system has been Swedish lakes. The economics have generally been that Sweden sells power when needed and receives power for free since the northern European countries need to shed what their grid can’t use.
Electricity is used to break water into hydrogen and oxygen, then the hydrogen and oxygen are fed to a fuel cell which then fed to a fuel cell which combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity.
Wow there Nelly, the guys at Hydrail have just re-invented perpetual motion.
Due to energy losses in both splitting water and in the fuel cell, the amount of electricity coming out of the fuel cell will be around 20% less than the electricity going in.
You would be much more green if you merely took the electricity from the batteries or overhead wires and fed them directly to the motor.
Sheesh, Griff, aren’t you ever embarrassed by the stuff you try to pass?
All -the German state in question has a very high level of wind power, which currently is sometimes constrained when (e.g overnight) supply exceeds local demand.
It makes sense for them to use the power to convert to hydrogen.
Germany believes (the vast majority of its citizens back this view) that they should use renewable electricity and not fossil fuel, to fight climate change. In that context their decision makes sense.
That viewpoint is shared by and driving technology and power systems across the world -there’s a technical revolution out there.
I’m embarrassed that some here have not noticed what is happening on a large scale – like it or not, its there, people are pushing for more of it, it works… having a particular view on climate can’t stop what is going on. Reflect!
California announced some years ago that they were going to stop buying electricity from coal-fired plants. Utah was one of their suppliers. California got the electricity, and Utah got to keep the pollution. You would think that was a good deal for California. And maybe it was, because they are still buying it and plan to continue to buy it until 2025:
“In order to keep selling electricity to California, Utah’s Intermountain Power Project is expected to convert to natural gas by 2025. The Utah power company sells about 90 percent of its power to six California municipalities. About 45 percent of the company’s capacity is owned by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, who has indicated that it will curtail coal use by 2025.”
http://instituteforenergyresearch.org/analysis/californias-hidden-coal-use/
..But what happens when Utah decides to switch to wind and solar ?? They’ll need all their natural gas to back up their own inefficient power ! No more power sold to CaliPornia ! Oh oh……
Morons.
Ban Nuclear Power Plants. Let the Bastards Freeze/Roast in the Dark.
Peak demand, when outages happen, is summer daytime A/C use. There is excess at night. So no freezing or roasting in the dark… just sweating and dehydrating to death in the summer relentless sun…
This will be fixed when the Hollywood Glitterati discover what sweat is and that sweaty hair doesn’t look good…
which is exactly when solar panels work best… so stick them on all the roofs.
I note NRG has done a deal with Kaiser healthcare to put panels over all the company’s parking lots in California… that’s another place for putting panels -bonus shade!
Peak solar is around noon. Peak demand is about 5pm.
Is there anything you know that is actually correct?
Yep we have same problem in West Australia in theory we can power the whole southern state with PV power but it’s at wrong time our peak is 5pm-9pm. Year average for solar is 14% of it’s notional 160% it can provide. We burn coal and gas for baseload.
Well solar works fine at 5pm – and peaks in A/C using areas vary – often coincide with peak non-A/C use which is usually mid day
Still makes sense to install solar in any sunny A/C using area
Calfornia should be bared from inporting electricity and fopssile fuels from othe parts of the country. If they will not bear the risks and expenses associated with the production of theose goods, thay should not be allowed to put their costs on other people.
We have room for you in Florida Anthony. Trade Earthquakes for Hurricanes?
Regards, Ed
…I loved living in Florida …If Trump gets elected I may return to live there again !!
Signing “agreements” with activist organizations? In return for what – a promise not to protest, harass and disrupt normal people going about their lives and jobs?
Yes. The NRDC and the Sierra Club will agree not to sue over State Lands permitting in exchange for PG&E’s withdrawal of the current 20 year license extension from the NRC.
Its a protection racket, pure and simple. RICO will not be mentioned however.
By 2025, CAGW should already be an officially disconfirmed hypothesis because there will have been 30 years without a global warming trend and the disparity between CAGW projections vs. reality should exceed 3+ standard deviations.
The 30-yr PDO cool cycle will be at its coolest point, the AMO 30-yr cool cycle will be in its 5th year, Arctic ice extents should already be showing massive increases, we’ll be suffering through the weakest solar cycle since 1790, China’s first LFTR will already be online with the West frantically trying to play catch up, and the US will likely be in a severe depression from the
a debt/currency crisis caused by a $30+ trillion national debt.
A massive 3rd-wave of Western industrial production will have moved to China to take advantage China’s unlimited power capacity @ur momisugly $0.03/kWh, compared to the West’s energy costs of $0.30/kWh from all the wind and solar boondoggles on which the West wasted $100’s of billions.
Isn’t Leftistist economic suicide grand…..
Science is scary and threatening to “green” schemes.
Nuclear power is for sissies. A brave new world needs brave new people. Maybe California will be the first state to have highway lanes for skateboards and pogo sticks.
Ha ha! Fooled you! Obviously I was really talking about wheelchair and bicycle lanes. They should also make special parking spots for walkers and Penny-Farthings.
Obviously heavy deliveries would be made by pack mules and Borax donkey teams pulling a water bowser at the back. The Teamsters will rule once again!
Personally I’m glad this is happening in California. I feel sorry for people who are stuck with this kind of nonsense who know it won’t work, but it’s clear that the Greens won’t understand the inevitable outcome of their madness until they are sitting in the dark. I just wish it wasn’t going to be another 10 years before the plant is shut down.
If I was the plant manager I would shut it down now – the law of unintended consequences will take over.
Thank God I left California. In California, people like Roger Sowell are the damn moderates.
I wonder what will happen to all the spent nuclear fuel. Because of NIMBY attitudes, all U.S. nuclear power plants store their spent fuel rods on site.
It will be used in advanced reactors as fuel. CANDU can use it. Oh Canada, ….
Just make sure you don’t mention the word “Sons” anywhere !
https://ipolitics.ca/2016/06/15/bill-to-change-o-canada-lyrics-passes-final-house-vote/
Not any time soon. Dry casks from here to eternity.
‘“Energy efficiency and clean renewable energy from the wind and sun can replace aging nuclear plants — and this proves it.’
“Energy efficiency” is cultural Marxism for brownouts and blackouts.
I presume the 5 million illegals in CA have the tax payers pay their electric bills, so no harm done/
Friends of the Earth = Enemy of the People
A more appropriate acronym for an organization (FOE) has never been and will never be created.
UN doesn’t come close to measuring up to the corruption and evil of the organization itself. It’s just… UN. FOE on the other hand…
+10
“Fighting climate change requires more nuclear power, not less.” so says Bloomberg.
I would be interested to know how exactly nuclear power will fight climate change. And how the effect on climate can be measured and proven.
If only controlling climate were that simple!
Simple. Climate change is not defined.
“It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong.” Thomas Sowell
I live about 15 miles from Diablo Canyon; and I see two as yet unmentioned potential problems that I and my neighbors might face. Neither or both may be real, but as I understand it they are. First, the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant pays beaucoup money in property taxes–much of which goes to funding schools. If the plant is closed, will the taxes the plant pays also go away; and if so, who is going to make up the shortfall? Second, I believe Diablo Canyon has a significant water desalination capability. During the recent drought, many local communities wanted to get their hands on the fresh water. In the next drought, where will we get an equivalent amount of fresh water?
Good points and a grim outlook for property values (no schools = no people… unless…. you can convince a lot of rich, old, hippies, like Sowell, to move in…. OH, BOY, WOULDN’T THAT BE NEAT? (barf)) in your neck of the woods if we can’t get this ludicrous action reversed. And we just may…
You might want to think of selling — soon …. yet, how sad (and it may not be necessary…).
Hang in there, Reed. If you don’t need the resale value of your home — just enjoy where you live and let the chips fall where they may.
Look on the bright side, at least your heirs won’t need that “step-up in basis” to avoid capital gains… (mirthless laugh).
Janice, from a weather point of view, where I live, Los Osos, is heaven on Earth. Being close to the ocean, we get maybe 10 days a year of temperatures above 80 F. This place would be heaven on Earth if I could only disassociate myself from the People’s Republic of California and its extreme left politics. Alas, I can’t. I have as much chance of changing California’s left-think attitude as global warming alarmists have of controlling weather/climate by regulating atmospheric CO2–none-to-none.
Well, Reed, then, just enjoy. Life’s too short to sweat it. Accept that the sewer of the world is backing up in California, put up a big bulkhead in your brain to keep it from getting inside your head, put on your windbreaker, and go for a walk on the beach.
And pray.
Because, when it gets this bad (and it may even get worse, for awhile), God is the only one who can rescue the rational from the twisted.
Climategate did not “just happen,” … it took a brave individual, but it also took an opportunity and the means and a mouthpiece called “WUWT” (this website was God from the get-go… Anthony Watts, who “just happened” to be a computer-saavy, world class professional broadcast media meteorologist, lost a school board election… and the rest is history), both, in my opinion, designed and executed by: God.
There are more climategates coming.
Truth will win.
It always does.
The National Resource Defense Council successfully sued our small water district over a capacity expansion project that included dredging out silt accumulation and increasing the height of the existing dam. The NRDC “wins” because they can tie you up in lawsuits for the next 50 years; a de facto win for them. The bottom line nothing gets done. Then the drought comes and the media plays dumb as to why our community ran out of water. Yes, I’m talking about California.
mairon62: That is sickening. So sorry to hear that. I hope you can move. Yet, that’s not likely a happy thought, either. Hang in there. Hey, I just said that! It appears to be the thing to say to anyone sane living in California! HANG IN THERE — things are going to get better! (for, surely, they cannot get any worse!) aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. When, oh, when are we going to be rid of the Envirostalinists???
Okay, okay, Sleepalot — I’m done talking to people… for awhile (heh).
The NRDC has a support of billionaires, they can win a big lawsuit. Why don’t you try a community action? Sue them individually in a small claims court.
Up here is British Columbia, Canada’s California, nutters, remember we have David Suzuki, oops getting off track. We have a Carbon tax well it failed and either needs to be cancelled or increased. See our Premier, Christy Clarke called a recent downpour and serious flooding in the Dawson Creek, Chetwynd area a result of “climate Change” and to expect more of the same. So like I said our carbon tax failed, cancel it or increase it because our tax will change the worlds climate.
Since Christy is a politician then her stated cause of the flooding being “climate change” must be true.