New DOE Energy Storage Challenge

[semipro]

I'm loving this.

The New Coal-Killing Energy Storage Challenge Will Ding Nat Gas

Much to the dismay of fossil fuel stakeholders, Trump administration launches major new effort to dominate global energy storage market -- wait, what?

cleantechnica.com

 

[SpaceBus]

I had a feeling this might happen, despite the administration cutting down the EPA funding. Trump isn't going to let China get all that renewable energy money alone. Russia, Central Asia, and the Middle East are dead set on fossil fuels, so this Iran thing makes a lot more sense now. I think even MBS in Saudi Arabia is even pushing to renewable energy despite controlling most of the oil.

 

[peakbagger]

Reportedly banks and financing institutions have decided that they will not invest in new fossil power plants including gas as they feel they may become economically stranded before the debts are paid for. This happened about 20 years ago during the "gas bubble",gas plants were being built based on faulty economics and the owners were just calling up the banks and handing the over as they could not make a profit. The lending institutions got a lot smarter and realized that the develoipers were not in it for the long term. It could be that the only new fossil power ends up being "peakers" required to back up the grid.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I suspect, based on the measly amount of $$$, that this is designed to pick off a few lightly informed folks who are on the fence for 2020, and the messaging will still be "clean beautiful coal" and windmill cancer for those who are in the cult and will believe until the bitter end.

Watch the money. The smart financiers are telegraphing where this is all going, despite how cheap and easy money is these days. Look at what Warren Buffet is planning in Iowa as a good example. Another example is Saudi Aramco going public. The kingdom wants someone else holding the bag when the lights go on.