Renewable energy keeps advancing despite a drop in overall investment

Wednesday, April 9th 2014 - 19:44 UTC

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Renewable energy's share of world electricity generation continued its steady climb last year despite a 14% drop in investments to 214.4 billion dollars, according to a new report released on Monday and produced by the Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre for Climate & Sustainable Energy Finance, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Read full article

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CaptainSilver
Technical innovation in solar energy and battery technology will make solar energy competive with fossil fuels without subsidy.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comm ... fuels.html

… .and the vital part, storing your solar energy in an organic flow battery to use at night.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comm ... 010714.php

Sounds promising, but may be bad news for places like the Falklands. However, with all that wind….
Apr 10th, 2014 - 08:43 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Islander1
Capt Siler- Falklands already uses commercial non subsidised wind power to produce up to 40% of Stanley,s electrical power demand. Many farms have windpower and battery banl with just a diesel back up so we are up at the top in alternative energy I think.
Solar power for water heating is getting more and more common also.
Apr 10th, 2014 - 03:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ChrisR
And how much CO2 was released making these devices, especially lithium?

And how much is the shortfall between the energy cost of producing, transporting, erecting and maintaining the damnable windmills?

These things never repay that with the puny amount of energy they “make”.
Apr 10th, 2014 - 04:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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CaptainSilver
Chris, read the second article, no lithium, and rhubarb provides the key battery ingredient. The next generation of solar panels will be more efficient and cost much less in energy terms to produce. Think graphene. I agree with your scepticism but things are moving forward.
Apr 10th, 2014 - 05:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Stevie
What has to be increased, is the lifetime and output of the batteries.
As for now they come at 5 or 10 years lifetime at a discharge rate of 50 respectively 33%.
With the amount of money the set costs, you will never profit from it, other than the fact that you can use the power more freely...
Apr 10th, 2014 - 07:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ChrisR
@ 4 CaptainSilver
“ Think graphene.”

Graphene is the latest wonder material which has yet to be taken up like “carbon fibre” has, that's everywhere now.

I tried the second link but it's just a listing of publications direct from an Apache Port 80 listing, where is the “010714.php”? It can't even be a date listing! :o(
Apr 10th, 2014 - 08:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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CaptainSilver
Sorry Chris bad link. Try this. http://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2014/01/organic-mega-flow-battery-promises-breakthrough-for-renewable-energy
Apr 10th, 2014 - 09:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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