QUICK NEWS, October 10: Why Tariffs On Solar Will Backfire On The President; Private Sector Seizes Wind Opportunity; The EV Boom Needs 1000s More Plugs

Why Tariffs On Solar Will Backfire On The President Trump Is About to Stifle U.S. Solar Power. Why?

Justin Talbot-Zorn, October 9, 2017 (Fortune)

“…[The president has reportedly] lashed out at his senior economic advisers for their tepidness on trade policy…[and demanded protectionist tariffs]… But the looming solar tariffs aren’t about industrial jobs or Chinese competition or trade fairness—they’re about protecting fossil fuel interests and blocking Americans from harnessing the power of the sun…While it’s conceivable that tariffs could lead to some new domestic panel production, it is clear is that prices for most solar installations would rise, driving demand for new solar down just when the] world has been banking on residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar as important drivers of U.S. emissions reductions…[Instead of promoting domestic job creation and economic growth,] solar tariffs would be self-defeating…[They may seem like] a chance to look tough on China and other big manufacturing competitors while giving a gift to political supporters in the fossil fuel industry…But on a closer look, restricting the growth of solar would present [the president] with some serious headaches…[M]any red state Republicans will wince at the local job losses…Even the Heritage Foundation, the Koch-backed American Legislative Exchange Council, and other right-wing organizations have joined environmental groups in opposing the tariffs…” click here for more

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Private Sector Seizes Wind Opportunity As Federal Support Wanes, Private Industry May Fuel Next Generation Of Wind Power Technology

Amy Mayer, Octobger 9. 2017 (NPR Morning Edition/KCUR-Iowa)

“…[A] chill around federal funding for renewable energy has researchers increasingly turning to industry partners to bring the next generation of innovation to the marketplace…[Wind power is now over 6% of the U.S. installed electric generation capacity and] researchers continue striving for ways to expand its reach, even as the funding for their work becomes less available…[An Iowa State University researcher on wind turbine acoustics was recently awarded] a half-million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation and additional support from the state of Iowa…[With] the maturation of the industry and the changing priorities of the federal government, the Department of Energy proposed budget would make further reductions to all renewable energy programs, including wind…Even with diminishing federal support, the wind industry continues to grow [and researchers are counting on the companies that value it to step with support for their work on innovation]…” click here for more

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The EV Boom Needs 1000s More Plugs NREL Evaluates National Charging Infrastructure Needs for Growing Fleet of Plug-In Electric Vehicles

October 4, 2017 (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

“…Sales of PEVs—which include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and all-electric vehicles (EVs)—have surged recently. Most PEV charging occurs at home, but widespread PEV adoption would require the development of a national network of non-residential charging stations. Strategically installing these stations early would maximize their economic viability while enabling efficient network growth as the PEV market matures…[According to National Plug-In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Analysis from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory,] a few hundred corridor fast-charging stations could enable long-distance EV travel between U.S. cities. Although many of these early-market stations could be underutilized at first, NREL’s analysis of driving patterns and vehicle characteristics suggests how corridors could be prioritized and station spacing set to enhance station utility and economics…About 8,000 fast-charging stations would be needed to provide a minimum level of urban and rural coverage nationwide. In a PEV market with 15 million vehicles, the total number of non-residential charging outlets or ‘plugs’ needed to meet urban and rural demand ranges from around 100,000 to more than 1.2 million…” click here for more

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