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Renewable Energy Shows Strong Gain In U.S. (arstechnica.com)
WheezyJoe writes: According to the US Energy Information Administration, solar, wind, and gas dominate new US generating capacity in 2016. This year is notable because it will see the first new nuclear plant brought online in 20 years, contributing 1.1 GigaWatts to the grid. But that contribution will be dwarfed by renewable power sources, which together account for nearly two-thirds of 2016's new capacity. Part of the boom in renewables came because the tax incentives for their installation were in danger of expiring, so utilities rushed to get projects through the pipeline ahead of the end of the year. 9.5GW of capacity is expected to come online from solar -- more than the past three years combined. Another 6.8GW is expected from planned additions of wind power, largely spread across the Great Plains. Of new fossil fuel plants, the vast majority are going to be burning natural gas; there are no planned additions of coal plants.
Another article talking 'capacity' but not talking about how many MWh's each source will actually produce. Capacity alone is a meaningless unit. Natural Gas is the biggest addition by far in terms of how much electricity will be produced.
"...vastly reduce downtime and maintenance/manpower costs..."
After a few years pass, what's the maintenance going to look like on hundreds of thousands of wind turbine nacelles filled with complex gearing that has been whipped by salt spray, pooped on by birds and visited by the occasional gang of metal thieves? What happens when sand dunes 'walk' over your solar array?
Energy sprawl means maintenance sprawl.
Some mighty fine FUD you have there. Next time try bringing some facts to the table.
Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age