“The solar excess contributes to electricity rates in California that are the highest in the continental United States. Only Hawaii has higher electricity rates, a function of its isolation and need to import fuels for power generation.”
Has California’s enthusiasm for solar power gone too far? That question is being asked as the state is curtailing large amounts of solar generation and paying other states to take the Golden State’s solar excess.
The Los Angeles Times (November 24, 2024) reported:
In the last 12 months, California’s solar farms have curtailed production of more than 3 million megawatt hours of solar energy, either on the orders of the state’s grid operator or because prices had plummeted because of the glut, according to an analysis of data by The Times.
Data from the state’s grid operator, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), shows that curtailments of solar generation, because the conventional market for power in the state was less than was being generated and electric storage capacity was full, have doubled compared to 2021.…
Continue Reading“If Illinois wants an affordable and reliable grid, the answer is to end subsidies and mandates for all forms of generation. And to eliminate regulations that are taking the most affordable and reliable fuels out of the generation mix. Nothing else will work.”
Electricity prices are climbing in Illinois. As is the public’s concern about them. To address this, Governor JB Pritzker and governors from four other states recently asked the PJM Interconnection to do something about the escalating rates.
While the concern is widespread, there is little consensus over the cause of the higher prices. Some blame fossil fuels. Others the PJM capacity market. And others a lack of investment in battery storage. Most agree, though, that government intervention is needed to fix the problem.
However, a closer look shows that government intervention is the source of the problem.…
Continue ReadingThis post excerpts energy and climate material from the Media Balance Newsletter, a free fortnightly published by physicist John Droz Jr., founder of the Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions. The complete Newsletter for this post can be found here.
Unreliables (General):
*** Wind & Solar: You Can’t Subsidize Them Enough
*** Here’s Proof That Environmentalism Doesn’t Motivate the ‘Green Energy’ Industry
*** Sweden Issues CHILLING Alert on Renewables
Wind Energy — Other:
Wind Turbines Set To Come Down, Threatening Hawaii Renewable Energy Goals
Lawsuit Against Arkwright Wind Turbines Adds Plaintiffs
Discarded wind energy increases by 91% in 2024
Solar Energy:
*** Appeals Court upholds NC County’s rejection of 2,300-acre solar facility
Nuclear Energy:
*** Nuclear Waste could be the game-changer to Unlimited Electricity
Fossil Fuel Energy:
*** New NYS bill that will charge oil and gas firms $75B, but critics say customers will really foot the tab
America’s Big Natural-Gas Footprint is About to Get Even Bigger
German Greens advocate for coal
Miscellaneous Energy News:
*** New: Alex Epstein’s Energy AI
Trump’s Going Places With Energy, but Biden’s the Backseat Driver
$10 billion reasons New Mexico can’t afford to abandon oil and gas
U.S.…