[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: More good news for renewables deployment

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Weaver, Sam

Fellow Council Members and HOTLINE followers,

As we are on our break, I thought I would share some positive news about the deployment of renewable power sources here and abroad.  These interconnected bits of good news might serve to leaven the difficult events around race and inequality and policing we have seen in the news this week.

No silver bullets, but lots of silver buckshot:


1)      According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, zero-emissions energy sources will account for 60% of installed electrical capacity by 2040.  Not quite fast enough, but the arrow points in the right direction.  Let's move faster!  By 2040, solar power is estimated to cost $0.04/kWh.  Summary attached or see here http://about.bnef.com/press-releases/coal-and-gas-to-stay-cheap-but-renewables-still-win-race-on-costs/

2)      Solar out-produced coal in the month of May in the UK - Brexit coal! http://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-solar-beats-coal-over-a-whole-month-in-uk-for-first-time

3)      In the US, a lot of great wind and solar resources are not near the big electrical loads - big cities.  High voltage DC transmission lines are one possible solution.  Here is one proposed to connect Kansas wind to Missouri and Illinois loads: http://www.grainbeltexpresscleanline.com/site/home There is some controversy about these big transmission projects, but it keeps the right conversation going - what is the best way to get renewable power to the big load centers?

4)      If the Grain Belt Express Clean Line does get built, look at the companies that will buy the renewable energy it supplies: http://www.dgardiner.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Company-letter-on-RE-access-in-Missouri_logos.pdf

All the best,

Sam Weaver
Member of Boulder City Council
weavers at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:weavers at bouldercolorado.gov>
Phone: 303-416-6130
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