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January 11, 2014
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/01/09/3137501/eem-fungus-climate/
Tiny Fungus Puts Up A Mighty Fight Against Climate Change
Tiny Fungus Puts Up A Mighty Fight Against Climate Change
BY ANNIE-ROSE STRASSER ON JANUARY 9, 2014 AT 10:27 AM
A mushroom from an ectomycorrhizal fungus CREDIT: CREATIVE COMMONS
You might be a person who loves to eat a portabello sandwich or one who turns your nose at the sight of a salad bar button mushroom, but no matter your feelings on the gustatory nature of fungal fruit, you’ve got to respect fungi for one thing: Helping to fight climate change in a small but mighty way.
In a new study, scientists found that two certain types of fungi, known as ecto- and ericoid mycorrhizal (EEM) fungi, have the ability to drastically alter how much carbon gets sunk into soil or released into the air by as much as 70 percent. Since soil holds massive amounts of carbon — more than air and plants combined — this has a huge impact on the climate.
Here’s how it works: Nitrogen in soil is what feeds the little microorganisms that break down dead matter and release its carbon back into the atmosphere. But the EEM fungi (not to be confused with a mushroom — the mushroom is the fruit of a fungus) that live in the roots of plants steal some of that nitrogen out of the soil and turn it into nutrients for plants. In the process of stealing it, they’re ridding the soil of nitrogen. So when that plant eventually dies and returns to the soil to be broken down, in places where EEM fungi are present, it’s less quickly turned into carbon that goes back into the atmosphere.
This happens anywhere EEM fungi live — no matter the makeup of the soil, or what the climate of the location is.
The process might sound technical and small-scale, but its implications are significant...
BY ANNIE-ROSE STRASSER ON JANUARY 9, 2014 AT 10:27 AM
A mushroom from an ectomycorrhizal fungus CREDIT: CREATIVE COMMONS
You might be a person who loves to eat a portabello sandwich or one who turns your nose at the sight of a salad bar button mushroom, but no matter your feelings on the gustatory nature of fungal fruit, you’ve got to respect fungi for one thing: Helping to fight climate change in a small but mighty way.
In a new study, scientists found that two certain types of fungi, known as ecto- and ericoid mycorrhizal (EEM) fungi, have the ability to drastically alter how much carbon gets sunk into soil or released into the air by as much as 70 percent. Since soil holds massive amounts of carbon — more than air and plants combined — this has a huge impact on the climate.
Here’s how it works: Nitrogen in soil is what feeds the little microorganisms that break down dead matter and release its carbon back into the atmosphere. But the EEM fungi (not to be confused with a mushroom — the mushroom is the fruit of a fungus) that live in the roots of plants steal some of that nitrogen out of the soil and turn it into nutrients for plants. In the process of stealing it, they’re ridding the soil of nitrogen. So when that plant eventually dies and returns to the soil to be broken down, in places where EEM fungi are present, it’s less quickly turned into carbon that goes back into the atmosphere.
This happens anywhere EEM fungi live — no matter the makeup of the soil, or what the climate of the location is.
The process might sound technical and small-scale, but its implications are significant...
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/01/09/3137501/eem-fungus-climate/
January 11, 2014
I called Sen Coons today to let him know how poor I consider his judgement on this issue. He's a great guy on most things, but if he helps push us into another war I will never be able to support him again.
Please find out where your Senators stand and call them if required.
Please.
Support for Iran sanctions bill nears filibuster-proof majority
Source: Washington Post
Congressional support for a new round of sanctions against Iran is growing, with a near filibuster-proof majority of senators now willing to approve fresh legislation, according to senior Senate aides.
There are no plans for Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) to allow a vote on any proposal in the near future, the aides said, but if a bill moves forward, it could complicate negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.The Obama administration has urged lawmakers not to impose new sanctions while the U.S. and five other world powers negotiate with Iran on a permanent deal to ensure that it cannot develop nuclear weapons. Two months ago, Iran agreed to freeze its nuclear program in exchange for temporary relief on some sanctions.
On Friday, Iran’s top nuclear envoy signaled that the text of an initial agreement was being circulated among the negotiating countries for further approval. In Geneva, Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s top nuclear envoy, told the official IRNA news agency that he expected countries to respond within two days about whether they accept the terms of an interim agreement; it would map out a six-month plan to be implemented while diplomats continue negotiating any final deal.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/support-for-iran-sanctions-bill-nears-filibuster-proof-majority/2014/01/10/33efdaee-7a2c-11e3-af7f-13bf0e9965f6_story.html
I called Sen Coons today to let him know how poor I consider his judgement on this issue. He's a great guy on most things, but if he helps push us into another war I will never be able to support him again.
Please find out where your Senators stand and call them if required.
Please.
January 10, 2014
http://sploid.gizmodo.com/nasa-captures-the-flaming-fist-of-god-17-000-light-year-1498529557
Expanded image available at link
NASA captures the Flaming Fist of God 17,000 light-years away from us
I'm fairly sure they left the words "image of" out of the headline, but it's still a great read.
Humans like to see things where there's nothing but visual patterns. Even NASA: the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) has captured an "image [that] shows the energized remains of a dead star, a structure nicknamed the Hand of God after its resemblance to a hand." Except now it looks more like The Flaming Fist of God.
According to Hongjun An of McGill University, Montreal, Canada, they "don't know if the hand shape is an optical illusion. With NuSTAR, the hand looks more like a fist, which is giving [them] some clues." I can see the fist in flames too, surrounding the knuckles.
One of the big mysteries of this object, called a pulsar wind nebula, is whether the pulsar's particles are interacting with the material in a specific way to make it appear as a hand, or if the material is in fact shaped like a hand.
But besides this cosmic Rorschach test, the important thing is that NASA's NuStar is giving us a "unique viewpoint, in seeing the highest-energy X-rays, is showing us well-studied objects and regions in a whole new light," according to Fiona Harrison, the mission's principal investigator at CalTech, in Pasadena, California.
This is what astronomers think is actually happening:
According to Hongjun An of McGill University, Montreal, Canada, they "don't know if the hand shape is an optical illusion. With NuSTAR, the hand looks more like a fist, which is giving [them] some clues." I can see the fist in flames too, surrounding the knuckles.
One of the big mysteries of this object, called a pulsar wind nebula, is whether the pulsar's particles are interacting with the material in a specific way to make it appear as a hand, or if the material is in fact shaped like a hand.
But besides this cosmic Rorschach test, the important thing is that NASA's NuStar is giving us a "unique viewpoint, in seeing the highest-energy X-rays, is showing us well-studied objects and regions in a whole new light," according to Fiona Harrison, the mission's principal investigator at CalTech, in Pasadena, California.
This is what astronomers think is actually happening:
The image shows a ...
http://sploid.gizmodo.com/nasa-captures-the-flaming-fist-of-god-17-000-light-year-1498529557
Expanded image available at link
January 10, 2014
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140109p2a00m0na012000c.html
Japan's ruling party removes no war pledge from 2014 platform
'No-war pledge' deleted from LDP's party position for 2014
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has released a proposed party position for 2014, deleting the "pledge never to wage war again" in a turnaround from last year's stance.
The party had initially included in its original draft for this year's party position a phrase saying, "... (the party is) determined to uphold a pledge never to wage war again and the principles of a peaceful country" in connection with officials' visits to Yasukuni Shrine. The updated draft, which was released on Jan. 8, deletes the statement and instead adds a phrase saying, "... bolster veneration (for the war dead)."
At an LDP General Council meeting on Jan. 7, some members raised objections to the original draft, saying, "Yasukuni Shrine was established to offer veneration for the war dead. It shouldn't be mixed up with a pledge never to wage war again."
Wataru Takeshita, chairman of the LDP Party Organization and Campaign Headquarters, explained about the deletion of the "no-war pledge" during a press conference, saying, "We put it in the preamble (of the draft)." However, the preamble doesn't contain a "pledge never to wage war again" but instead states that "maintaining peace is the foundation of our country's prosperity."
Following his controversial visit to Yasukuni Shrine in December...
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has released a proposed party position for 2014, deleting the "pledge never to wage war again" in a turnaround from last year's stance.
The party had initially included in its original draft for this year's party position a phrase saying, "... (the party is) determined to uphold a pledge never to wage war again and the principles of a peaceful country" in connection with officials' visits to Yasukuni Shrine. The updated draft, which was released on Jan. 8, deletes the statement and instead adds a phrase saying, "... bolster veneration (for the war dead)."
At an LDP General Council meeting on Jan. 7, some members raised objections to the original draft, saying, "Yasukuni Shrine was established to offer veneration for the war dead. It shouldn't be mixed up with a pledge never to wage war again."
Wataru Takeshita, chairman of the LDP Party Organization and Campaign Headquarters, explained about the deletion of the "no-war pledge" during a press conference, saying, "We put it in the preamble (of the draft)." However, the preamble doesn't contain a "pledge never to wage war again" but instead states that "maintaining peace is the foundation of our country's prosperity."
Following his controversial visit to Yasukuni Shrine in December...
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140109p2a00m0na012000c.html
January 10, 2014
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/01/09/3139091/cuomo-big-solar/
New York Governor Announces $1 Billion For Solar Energy
New York Governor Announces $1 Billion For Solar Energy
BY KILEY KROH ON JANUARY 9, 2014 AT 3:06 PM
New York governor Andrew Cuomo delivered his State of the State address on Wednesday and announced an even greater commitment to clean energy, including $1 billion in new funding for solar energy projects.
Launched in 2012, Cuomo’s NY-Sun Initiative has already been a tremendous success, with almost 300 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic capacity installed or under development, more than was installed in the entire decade prior to the program.
Now with another major financial boost, Cuomo aims to install 3,000 (MW) of solar across New York. “That’s enough solar to power 465,000 New York homes, cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2.3 million tons annually — the equivalent of taking almost 435,000 cars off the road — and create more than 13,000 new solar jobs,” according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
In addition to the ten-year financial boost for NY-Sun, Cuomo announced a new program entitled K-Solar, which will incentivize the deployment of solar energy by using the state’s 5,000 schools as “demonstration hubs” to increase the number of solar energy projects in their surrounding communities.
The governor also unveiled the $40 million NY Prize competition, which will bolster community microgrids in the state, helping to make the electrical grid more resilient in the face of increasing extreme weather like Superstorm Sandy...
BY KILEY KROH ON JANUARY 9, 2014 AT 3:06 PM
New York governor Andrew Cuomo delivered his State of the State address on Wednesday and announced an even greater commitment to clean energy, including $1 billion in new funding for solar energy projects.
Launched in 2012, Cuomo’s NY-Sun Initiative has already been a tremendous success, with almost 300 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic capacity installed or under development, more than was installed in the entire decade prior to the program.
Now with another major financial boost, Cuomo aims to install 3,000 (MW) of solar across New York. “That’s enough solar to power 465,000 New York homes, cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2.3 million tons annually — the equivalent of taking almost 435,000 cars off the road — and create more than 13,000 new solar jobs,” according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
In addition to the ten-year financial boost for NY-Sun, Cuomo announced a new program entitled K-Solar, which will incentivize the deployment of solar energy by using the state’s 5,000 schools as “demonstration hubs” to increase the number of solar energy projects in their surrounding communities.
The governor also unveiled the $40 million NY Prize competition, which will bolster community microgrids in the state, helping to make the electrical grid more resilient in the face of increasing extreme weather like Superstorm Sandy...
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/01/09/3139091/cuomo-big-solar/
January 10, 2014
It is about damned time!
EPA Publishes First Rule Limiting Carbon Pollution From New Power Plants
Source: ThinkProgress
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has, at long last, published its rule to limit carbon emissions from new power plants. The proposed rule appeared Wednesday in the Federal Register, four months after EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy announced it back in September.
The regulation mandates that all future coal plants can emit just 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour. An average U.S. coal plant currently dumps over 1,700 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere for every megawatt-hour of energy it produces. The rule also covers new natural-gas fired plants. Natural gas plants, 100 megawatts or larger, will be limited to 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour, while smaller plants could emit no more than 1,100 pounds.
Modern combined-cycle natural gas plants are essentially already able to meet this standard. The rule, will however, make it very difficult for new coal-fired power plants to be built in the United States. Utilities will only be able to build new coal plants if they are able to capture 20 to 40 percent of the carbon they emit and store it underground. This technology is known as carbon capture and storage (CCS). Many coal advocates in Congress and fossil-fuel industry leaders have argued that the standard is designed to nix new coal plant construction, claiming that the CCS technology needed to meet the standard simply isn’t ready for commercial deployment.
In a statement, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo) said that the EPA’s rule would be damaging to the economy....
Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/01/09/3139921/epa-carbon-rule-power-plants/
It is about damned time!
January 10, 2014
http://blog.rmi.org/blog_2014_01_08_top_ten_clean_energy_developments_of_2013
RMI's Top 10 Clean Energy Developments of 2013
Top 10 Clean Energy Developments of 2013
LaurieGuevara-Stone
Writer / Editor
2013 was an exciting and inspiring year in many regards. And we’re not just talking the arrival of Prince George or the fact that the new Pope rides an electric bicycle. There were many remarkable clean energy developments that are helping to bring us closer to a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future. Here we list our top ten:
1. Renewables become cheapest option for many utilities
Multiple U.S. utilities added renewable energy to their mix in 2013, because it’s the cheapest option, with no state renewable portfolio standard (RPS) requirement calculated in. For example, Georgia Power joined Alabama power in buying wind energy from Oklahoma, and Xcel of Colorado filed a petition to the public utility commission stating that utility-scale solar is its cheapest peaking option. Xcel now plans to triple the amount of utility-scale solar it generates. (At the beginning of this year, a Minnesota judge likewise ruled that solar power offers Xcel ratepayers a better deal than natural gas.)
2. Utilities look toward new business models
One of Europe’s largest utilities, RWE, announced it is shedding its old business model and transforming itself into a renewable energy service provider. Their so-called “prosumer” business strategy states, “Based on funds sourced largely from third parties, we will position ourselves as a project enabler, operator and system integrator of renewables.” Other utilities are also taking distributed renewables and business model transformation seriously as indicated by the oft-referenced Disruptive Challenges paper by Peter Kind of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI).
3. Storage goes mainstream
California passed an energy storage mandate (AB 2514), a first-of-its-kind legislation that will give a significant push to the non-EV storage market in the U.S. Maryland also joined the storage craze by installing its first commercial, islandable solar-PV-and-battery microgrid. And solar PV companies are adding storage to their offerings. STEM, Green Charge Networks, and Solar Grid Storage all came into the spotlight with solutions that offer distributed battery energy storage to commercial customers, while SolarCity (with Tesla) and NRG’s offerings incorporate batteries for residential systems.
4. Electric vehicles have banner year
Worldwide EV car sales were up 300 percent from 2012...
LaurieGuevara-Stone
Writer / Editor
2013 was an exciting and inspiring year in many regards. And we’re not just talking the arrival of Prince George or the fact that the new Pope rides an electric bicycle. There were many remarkable clean energy developments that are helping to bring us closer to a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future. Here we list our top ten:
1. Renewables become cheapest option for many utilities
Multiple U.S. utilities added renewable energy to their mix in 2013, because it’s the cheapest option, with no state renewable portfolio standard (RPS) requirement calculated in. For example, Georgia Power joined Alabama power in buying wind energy from Oklahoma, and Xcel of Colorado filed a petition to the public utility commission stating that utility-scale solar is its cheapest peaking option. Xcel now plans to triple the amount of utility-scale solar it generates. (At the beginning of this year, a Minnesota judge likewise ruled that solar power offers Xcel ratepayers a better deal than natural gas.)
2. Utilities look toward new business models
One of Europe’s largest utilities, RWE, announced it is shedding its old business model and transforming itself into a renewable energy service provider. Their so-called “prosumer” business strategy states, “Based on funds sourced largely from third parties, we will position ourselves as a project enabler, operator and system integrator of renewables.” Other utilities are also taking distributed renewables and business model transformation seriously as indicated by the oft-referenced Disruptive Challenges paper by Peter Kind of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI).
3. Storage goes mainstream
California passed an energy storage mandate (AB 2514), a first-of-its-kind legislation that will give a significant push to the non-EV storage market in the U.S. Maryland also joined the storage craze by installing its first commercial, islandable solar-PV-and-battery microgrid. And solar PV companies are adding storage to their offerings. STEM, Green Charge Networks, and Solar Grid Storage all came into the spotlight with solutions that offer distributed battery energy storage to commercial customers, while SolarCity (with Tesla) and NRG’s offerings incorporate batteries for residential systems.
4. Electric vehicles have banner year
Worldwide EV car sales were up 300 percent from 2012...
http://blog.rmi.org/blog_2014_01_08_top_ten_clean_energy_developments_of_2013
January 9, 2014
http://cleantechnica.com/2013/12/23/renewable-energy-now-40-market-penetration-scotland/
Renewable Energy Is Now The Source Of 40 Percent Of Scotland’s Electricity
Renewable Energy Is Now The Source Of 40 Percent Of Scotland’s Electricity
BY KATIE VALENTINE
CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK
Renewable energy use is at a record high in Scotland, according to new government figures.
In 2012, Scotland got 40.3 percent of its electricity from renewable sources — up from 36.3 percent in 2011 and just 24.1 percent in 2010. The Scottish government plans to get half of its electricity from renewable energy by 2015 — a target it said it was on track to meet — and 100 percent of its electricity by 2020. Scotland’s renewable energy numbers are much higher than many other U.K. countries — renewables produced only 8.2 percent of England’s electricity in 2012, and in Wales, 8.7 percent of electricity comes from renewable sources.
“Renewable electricity in Scotland is going from strength to strength, confirming that 2012 was a record year for generation in Scotland and that 2013 looks set to be even better,” said Scotland’s energy minister Fergus Ewing.’
Lang Banks, Director of WWF Scotland, told the BBC that if Scotland is to meet its target of renewable energy generating 100 percent of electricity by 2020, the country will need to invest more in offshore wind.
“In order to remain on target Scotland will need to deploy significant amounts of offshore wind in the near future,” he said. “It’s therefore vital that the U.K. government gives a stronger signal of its ambition on the growth of offshore wind in Scotland’s seas, as well as the necessary support needed to deliver that growth.”
Wind power is Scotland’s fastest-growing renewable energy source — in In 2012, Scotland’s wind power generation jumped by 19 percent...
BY KATIE VALENTINE
CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK
Renewable energy use is at a record high in Scotland, according to new government figures.
In 2012, Scotland got 40.3 percent of its electricity from renewable sources — up from 36.3 percent in 2011 and just 24.1 percent in 2010. The Scottish government plans to get half of its electricity from renewable energy by 2015 — a target it said it was on track to meet — and 100 percent of its electricity by 2020. Scotland’s renewable energy numbers are much higher than many other U.K. countries — renewables produced only 8.2 percent of England’s electricity in 2012, and in Wales, 8.7 percent of electricity comes from renewable sources.
“Renewable electricity in Scotland is going from strength to strength, confirming that 2012 was a record year for generation in Scotland and that 2013 looks set to be even better,” said Scotland’s energy minister Fergus Ewing.’
Lang Banks, Director of WWF Scotland, told the BBC that if Scotland is to meet its target of renewable energy generating 100 percent of electricity by 2020, the country will need to invest more in offshore wind.
“In order to remain on target Scotland will need to deploy significant amounts of offshore wind in the near future,” he said. “It’s therefore vital that the U.K. government gives a stronger signal of its ambition on the growth of offshore wind in Scotland’s seas, as well as the necessary support needed to deliver that growth.”
Wind power is Scotland’s fastest-growing renewable energy source — in In 2012, Scotland’s wind power generation jumped by 19 percent...
http://cleantechnica.com/2013/12/23/renewable-energy-now-40-market-penetration-scotland/
January 8, 2014
http://www.renewablesinternational.net/energiewende-and-coal-not-the-same-camp/150/537/75832/
"the companies that own coal plants are the same as those who own nuclear"
"From the left to the right, we see that nuclear power production dropped by 2.5 TWh in 2013, with that amount easily outstripped by the 3.6 TWh increase in renewables (a difference of 1.1 TWh). Power demand also dropped by 10.7 TWh, 0.3 TWh more than the decrease in consumption of natural gas in the power sector."07.01.201
Energiewende and coal: not the same camp
The news that German coal power production increased again last year has cast the country's energy transition in a bad light, with whom proponents of nuclear in particular hoping to make the switch to renewables synonymous with greater coal power demand. Yet, the companies that own coal plants are the same as those who own nuclear. Proponents of the Energiewende combat both.
“Coal surges sullies Germany’s clean energy image,” ABC news writes. The issue is a 1.5 percentage point increase in the share of coal power in total power supply (which the website incorrectly calls “gross energy”) in 2013.
The news is not surprising (I discussed the trend in July) and can be attributed to mainly to power exports. Nonetheless, the media and proponents of nuclear attribute the rise of coal in 2013 to the nuclear phaseout – even though no nuclear plant has been decommissioned since 2011.
What we have seen in recent years is a rise in power exports. Take a look at the following chart based on the figures published by the AGEB (see my report).
Agora Energiewende
From the left to the right, we see that nuclear power production dropped by 2.5 TWh in 2013, with that amount easily outstripped by the 3.6 TWh increase in renewables (a difference of 1.1 TWh). Power demand also dropped by 10.7 TWh, 0.3 TWh more than the decrease in consumption of natural gas in the power sector. If Germany were an island, demand for coal power would have decreased by 1.1+0.3 = 1.4 TWh. Instead, we have an 8.9 TWh increase, which is only possible because net power exports increased by 9.9 TWh, equivalent to nearly 50 percent greater power imports year-over-year.
Renewables are must-run plants in Germany, meaning that their power has to be purchased even if conventional plants have to ramp down commensurately. Germany’s neighbors who import a lot of power – the main two culprits are the Netherlands and France – are the main driver behind the growth in German coal power production...
Energiewende and coal: not the same camp
The news that German coal power production increased again last year has cast the country's energy transition in a bad light, with whom proponents of nuclear in particular hoping to make the switch to renewables synonymous with greater coal power demand. Yet, the companies that own coal plants are the same as those who own nuclear. Proponents of the Energiewende combat both.
“Coal surges sullies Germany’s clean energy image,” ABC news writes. The issue is a 1.5 percentage point increase in the share of coal power in total power supply (which the website incorrectly calls “gross energy”) in 2013.
The news is not surprising (I discussed the trend in July) and can be attributed to mainly to power exports. Nonetheless, the media and proponents of nuclear attribute the rise of coal in 2013 to the nuclear phaseout – even though no nuclear plant has been decommissioned since 2011.
What we have seen in recent years is a rise in power exports. Take a look at the following chart based on the figures published by the AGEB (see my report).
Agora Energiewende
From the left to the right, we see that nuclear power production dropped by 2.5 TWh in 2013, with that amount easily outstripped by the 3.6 TWh increase in renewables (a difference of 1.1 TWh). Power demand also dropped by 10.7 TWh, 0.3 TWh more than the decrease in consumption of natural gas in the power sector. If Germany were an island, demand for coal power would have decreased by 1.1+0.3 = 1.4 TWh. Instead, we have an 8.9 TWh increase, which is only possible because net power exports increased by 9.9 TWh, equivalent to nearly 50 percent greater power imports year-over-year.
Renewables are must-run plants in Germany, meaning that their power has to be purchased even if conventional plants have to ramp down commensurately. Germany’s neighbors who import a lot of power – the main two culprits are the Netherlands and France – are the main driver behind the growth in German coal power production...
http://www.renewablesinternational.net/energiewende-and-coal-not-the-same-camp/150/537/75832/
January 8, 2014
Posted with permission from:
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/07/ev-battery-prices-much-lower-think/
Are EV Battery Prices Much Lower Than We Think? Under $200/kWh?
A couple of CleanTechnica’s readers/advisors recently gathered together some interesting numbers and insights. To start this piece, I’ll just repost what one of them passed along to me:
Now, if you don’t obsessively keep up with EV battery prices, let’s step back for some perspective. McKinsey in 2012 (1) projected that EV batteries would get down to about $200/kWh by 2020. A bit more optimistically, Elon Musk in early 2012 (2) projected $200/kWh in the “not too distant future.” Of course, we don’t know exactly what that meant, but it sounds a lot closer than 2020. Based on some investigating in the middle of 2013, some Tesla enthusiasts actually came to the conclusion that Tesla battery packs may be down to about $233/kWh, or even $204/kWh (3).
Beyond the McKinsey report and Tesla thread, here’s a January 2012 statement from then US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu on EV battery prices (4) that we have over on our “Car Answers”(5) page:
I’ve reached out to a couple of other people about these GM battery numbers, since it doesn’t seem like we should be anywhere close to $100/kWh for EV batteries, but neither of my sources have pointed out any glaring mistakes here. I think the best guess so far is simply that GM is dumping batteries. But why would it do so?
I know we have a lot of very informed readers, some of whom are industry insiders. If someone would like to point out an obvious mistake that we are making or something that we are missing, please do so. Any perspective would be appreciated.
I guess the overall questions are: Have we already dropped well below $200 per kWh? Have we already zipped below $3,600 for a Chevy Volt battery pack? Was the DOE way off (or super conservative) with its 2015 projection/goal? Have analysts been way off, projecting much higher EV battery prices than really are out in the real world? Or is GM dumping batteries for some reason? And what would that reason be?
Let us know what you think!
Read more at http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/07/ev-battery-prices-much-lower-think/#41OMWYrTskQumRkH.99
(1) http://www.plugincars.com/lithium-ion-battery-prices-drop-160-kwh-2025-123193.html
(2) http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/23/tesla-ceo-sees-ev-batteries-soon-dropping-to-200-per-kwh/
(3) http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/17590-Model-S-Battery-Pack-Cost-Per-kWh-Estimate
(4) http://cleantechnica.com/2012/01/26/ev-battery-prices-dropping/
(5) http://cleantechnica.com/car-answers/
About the Author
Zachary Shahan is the director of CleanTechnica, the most popular cleantech-focused website in the world, and Planetsave, a world-leading green and science news site. He has been covering green news of various sorts since 2008, and he has been especially focused on solar energy, electric vehicles, and wind energy for the past four years or so. Aside from his work on CleanTechnica and Planetsave, he's the Network Manager for their parent organization – Important Media – and he's the Owner/Founder of Solar Love, EV Obsession, and Bikocity. To connect with Zach on some of your favorite social networks, go to ZacharyShahan.com and click on the relevant buttons.
New EV batteries for sale cheap?
Although the following articles inform the discussion on hydrogen linked here, it is significant enough in its own right to merit a new thread.
Toyota Unveils Zero-Emissions Hydrogen Fuel-Cell ‘Car Of The Future’ For Sale Next Year
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1127&pid=61756
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1127&pid=61756
Electric Vehicle Sales Nearly Double in 2013
More than 90,000 plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars were purchased last year
By Julia Pyper and ClimateWire
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=electric-vehicle-sales-nearly-double-in-2013
More than 90,000 plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars were purchased last year
By Julia Pyper and ClimateWire
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=electric-vehicle-sales-nearly-double-in-2013
Norway EV Sales In 2013 — 100% Increase In Sales http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/07/look-2013-ev-sales-norway/#v2qYell2MRsSp1Op.99
Posted with permission from:
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/07/ev-battery-prices-much-lower-think/
Are EV Battery Prices Much Lower Than We Think? Under $200/kWh?
A couple of CleanTechnica’s readers/advisors recently gathered together some interesting numbers and insights. To start this piece, I’ll just repost what one of them passed along to me:
I’m finding Chevy Volt replacement batteries online for about $2,300.
$2,300/16 kWh = $144/kWh
Retail.
On the GM Parts Store site a replacement battery for the 2012 Chevy Volt is listed at $2,305.88. No core (used battery) return required.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/klnrete
That’s 16 kWh. $144.12/kWh. Retail.
From the Volt forum -
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?70545-Volt-replacement-battery-for-only-2-300
“When I checked thru a friends Shop about this time last year (to get the ‘good guy’ price), the ‘complete propulsion battery assembly’ for a 2012 (they didn’t Have a price for the 2013 yet at that time) was quoted at $1900. And NO exchange or “core” – they did Not want the old one back, apparently.” [sic]
Here’s another site selling for $2,620. http://preview.tinyurl.com/mesew42
Volt battery at $2,995. Full retail price.
$2,995 / 16 kWh = $187 / kWh
Discounted retail price.
$2,306 / 16 kWh = $144 / kWh
Dealer’s cash price 30% off MSRP of $2,995
$2,097 / 16 kWh = $131/ kWh
If GM is buying these batteries for even less and making something on them, GM’s cost could be in the $100/kWh range. That would give GM a 30% profit for selling on to dealers. 30% might be high for a pass-through profit.
Now, if you don’t obsessively keep up with EV battery prices, let’s step back for some perspective. McKinsey in 2012 (1) projected that EV batteries would get down to about $200/kWh by 2020. A bit more optimistically, Elon Musk in early 2012 (2) projected $200/kWh in the “not too distant future.” Of course, we don’t know exactly what that meant, but it sounds a lot closer than 2020. Based on some investigating in the middle of 2013, some Tesla enthusiasts actually came to the conclusion that Tesla battery packs may be down to about $233/kWh, or even $204/kWh (3).
Beyond the McKinsey report and Tesla thread, here’s a January 2012 statement from then US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu on EV battery prices (4) that we have over on our “Car Answers”(5) page:
“Overall, the Department of Energy is partnering with industry to reduce the manufacturing cost of advanced batteries. While a typical battery for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a 40-mile electric range cost $12,000 in 2008, we’re on track to demonstrate technology by 2015 that would reduce the cost to $3,600. And last year, we set a goal of demonstrating technology by 2020 that would further reduce the cost to $1,500 – an accomplishment that could help spur the mass-market adoption of electric vehicles.”
I’ve reached out to a couple of other people about these GM battery numbers, since it doesn’t seem like we should be anywhere close to $100/kWh for EV batteries, but neither of my sources have pointed out any glaring mistakes here. I think the best guess so far is simply that GM is dumping batteries. But why would it do so?
I know we have a lot of very informed readers, some of whom are industry insiders. If someone would like to point out an obvious mistake that we are making or something that we are missing, please do so. Any perspective would be appreciated.
I guess the overall questions are: Have we already dropped well below $200 per kWh? Have we already zipped below $3,600 for a Chevy Volt battery pack? Was the DOE way off (or super conservative) with its 2015 projection/goal? Have analysts been way off, projecting much higher EV battery prices than really are out in the real world? Or is GM dumping batteries for some reason? And what would that reason be?
Let us know what you think!
Read more at http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/07/ev-battery-prices-much-lower-think/#41OMWYrTskQumRkH.99
(1) http://www.plugincars.com/lithium-ion-battery-prices-drop-160-kwh-2025-123193.html
(2) http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/23/tesla-ceo-sees-ev-batteries-soon-dropping-to-200-per-kwh/
(3) http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/17590-Model-S-Battery-Pack-Cost-Per-kWh-Estimate
(4) http://cleantechnica.com/2012/01/26/ev-battery-prices-dropping/
(5) http://cleantechnica.com/car-answers/
About the Author
Zachary Shahan is the director of CleanTechnica, the most popular cleantech-focused website in the world, and Planetsave, a world-leading green and science news site. He has been covering green news of various sorts since 2008, and he has been especially focused on solar energy, electric vehicles, and wind energy for the past four years or so. Aside from his work on CleanTechnica and Planetsave, he's the Network Manager for their parent organization – Important Media – and he's the Owner/Founder of Solar Love, EV Obsession, and Bikocity. To connect with Zach on some of your favorite social networks, go to ZacharyShahan.com and click on the relevant buttons.
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