Category Archives: Energy

Energy

Germany’s Renewables Set A New Record

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By Roy L Hales

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Germany’s renewables have set a new record. According to the  Fraunhofer institute, they produced about 81 TWh, or 31% of the nation’s electricity during the first half of 2014. Solar production is up 28%, wind 19% and biomass 7% over last year. Meanwhile, with the exception of nuclear energy, all conventional sources are produced less. The output from gas powered plants was half of what it had been in 2010 and brown coal powered plants are produced at a similar level to 2010-2012.

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Energy

Germany has one of the World’s most Efficient Grids

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By Roy L Hales

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Close to 29% of Germany’s electricity, during the first half of 2014 came, from renewable sources. It was a new record. Ironically, the story was released the same day that Bloomberg  published: German Utilities Bail Out Electric Grid at Wind’s Mercy. Listening to some of the critics of Energiewende, one sometimes gets the impression the nation’s utilities are on the verge of collapse. In reality,  Germany has one of the World’s most efficient grids.

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Energy, Spirituality

Mainline churches divesting themselves of fossil fuel investments

“We have sinned,” the President of America’s most prominent seminary wrote in Time Magazine. She was not referring to a sex scandal or embezzlement, but rather the Union Theological Seminary’s stock portfolio. In the past, many mainstream churches have spoken against Climate Change in the past, and now they are divesting themselves of fossil fuel investments.

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Energy, Finances

What Does the Expanding Solar Sector Mean to Germany’s Utilities?

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By Roy L Hales

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Germany’s renewable sector (RE) is flexing its muscles. Solar production was up 28% and wind 19% during the first half of 2014. As a result, the renewable sector accounted for 31% of the nation’s electricity. If this trend continues, this may be the third year in a row that Germany sets a record for energy exports. The increase in renewables has also been accompanied by a decrease in fossil fuel usage. Gas-fired power plant production is down 25%, compared to last year. Hard coal production fell 11%. Only Lignite power usage rose. So what does the expanding sector mean to Germany’s utilities?

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Energy

A Leading Supplier for Off Grid Solar & Hybrid Systems: OutBack Power

Contrary to what you may have heard, Seattle is not the rainiest city in the US – but it is clouded over around 225 days a year. So it may come as a surprise to learn that a local house utilizing solar-plus-battery was designed to obtain about 96% of its energy from the sun.

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