Rapid Wind And Solar Cost Declines Keep Pushing Fossil Fuel Further From Profitability. How Low Can They Go?

Rapid cost declines made renewable energy the United States’ cheapest available source of new electricity, without subsidies, in 2017. In many parts of the U.S., building new wind is cheaper than running existing coal, while nuclear and natural gas aren’t far behind. As renewable energy costs continue their relentless decline, they keep pushing fossil fuels further from profitability – and neither trend is slowing down.

This dynamic is apparent in the decade spanning 2008-2017, where nearly all retired U.S. power plants were fossil fuel generation, and was capped by utilities announcing 27 coal plant closures totaling 22 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in 2017. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts coal closures will continue through 2020, potentially setting an all-time annual record in 2018.


U.S. utility-scale electric generation capacity retirements 2008-2020


Despite Trump Administration actions to improve fossil fuel economics and reduce renewable energy competitiveness, updated levelized cost of energy (LCOE) data and new renewable energy projects show clean energy continues beating fossil fuels on economics, at a faster pace and in more locations than ever before. So just how low can renewable prices go?


Much more: http://www.theenergycollective.com/energy-innovation-llc/2420282/rapid-wind-solar-cost-declines-keep-pushing-fossil-fuel-profitability-low-can-go

Stephen Goes Live After Trump's State Of The Union



An hour after Trump's State of the Union, Stephen delivered his State of the State of the Union.



Michael Weatherly's 'Bull' Was Interrupted By Trump's State Of Union



Who needs the Democratic response to Trump's State of the Union when the Late Show got one from 'Bull' star Michael Weatherly, whose show was replaced by Trump's speech?



The 'Pod Save America' Hosts Analyze Trump's SOTU



'Pod Save America' hosts Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor give their first impressions on Trump's first State of the Union.



The Real State of the Union



Imagining what Trump would say at his first State of the Union if he was being honest. Like too honest.

Stormy talks about the press release that just came out saying that the affair with Donald Trump never happened, the aftermath of the Trump sex scandal, whether or not she has a non-disclosure agreement, Trump bringing the three women who accused Bill Clinton of inappropriate sexual behavior to a debate with Hillary, the In Touch article, the size of Trump’s junk, and plays a round of “Never Have I Ever.”

President Trump uses his first State of the Union address to brag about the tax plan he passed, reach across the aisle to Democrats and redefine who "Dreamers" are.

ABU DHABI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - With the costs of creating electricity from solar power and wind continuing to fall, electricity from renewable energy will soon be “consistently cheaper” than electricity from fossil fuels, according to the head of the world’s renewable energy agency.

By 2020, most wind and solar power technology now being commercially used will be priced in the same range as fossil fuels, “with most at the lower end or even undercutting fossil fuels”, said Adnan Amin, the director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

That is particularly good news for communities in parts of Africa, Asia and other parts of the world that remain unconnected to power grids and without access to modern energy, experts said.

Cheaper prices for improved technology, combined with new financial arrangements to help put it in place, should lead to more unconnected communities getting access to clean power, according to energy access body Power for All.

“The falling cost of solar and an expected decline in (costs of renewable energy) storage are providing a major boost to delivering electricity and related services to communities without access to energy,” William Brent, a spokesman for the organization, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“But it’s not just a question of solar technology, which has achieved full commercial viability and is now cheaper than coal in many countries. Many companies are also pioneering delivery methods using innovative business and financial models, as well as through advances in super-efficient appliances,” he added.


Much more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-renewables-finance-poor/consistently-cheaper-clean-energy-set-to-connect-worlds-poor-power-experts-idUSKBN1FF22T

More than 50,000 bridges across the U.S. are falling apart and endangering drivers, according to a new report.

NBC News found cases from Florida, Georgia, Michigan and other states where pieces of crumbling bridges broke off and fell to the roadway, sometimes hitting vehicles.

In Utah, driver Mike Peterson escaped serious injury when a chunk of a bridge smashed through his windshield as he drove underneath.

"Another six to eight inches, you might not be talking to me today," said Peterson.

Using government data, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association compiled a report showing that 54,259 American bridges are "structurally deficient."


More (includes video): https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/more-50-000-american-bridges-are-falling-apart-n842356



The underside of a bridge in Washington, D.C. NBC News

‘Monday night slaughter’: Bernstein slams Trump and his ‘gang’ of GOP enablers for trying to shut down Russia probe

Veteran reporter Carl Bernstein of Watergate fame on Monday called the abrupt departure of former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe the “Monday night slaughter,” arguing Trump and his “enablers” in Congress are putting the U.S. at risk of a Constitutional crisis.

“We are seeing a breakdown and I think we may look back and call this the Monday night slaughter of the administration of justice and our institutions of justice in the United States,” Bernstein said. “A real slaughter by an obstructionist, irresponsible, partisan gang in the House of Representatives. It has put the interests of their party and the president of the United States and his personal fortunes above the national interest, and I think we’re going to look back on what happened today and tonight as a turning point.”

“Clearly, since he has become president, Donald Trump has done everything in his power including working with these enablers on Capitol Hill to make sure that this investigation of him, his family, his aides, his campaign, his transition does not come to fruition,” the reporter added. “And this was part and parcel of it tonight.”

Bernstein suggested if Trump “continues down this road, and if his enablers in Congress continue down this road,” the institutions designed to protect America “may fail us.”

“Donald Trump may get away with this,” Bernstein explained. “By ‘this’ I mean shutting down the legitimate investigation of the president of the United States.”

No more at link: https://www.rawstory.com/2018/01/monday-night-slaughter-bernstein-slams-trump-gang-gop-enablers-trying-shut-russia-probe/

The State Of Our Union Is... Misspelled



In what might be a preview of his speech, tickets to Donald Trump's first State of the Union address feature a massive mistake.



Fox News Struggles To Cover Trump's Attempted Firing Of Mueller



All-around player Sean Hannity went on the offensive and defensive about breaking news that Trump tried to fire Robert Mueller. (In the same show.)



Stephen Lie-Checks Trump's Climate Change Claim



President Trump crammed an impressive amount of nonsense about climate change into a single run-on falsehood.



Stephen Goes Mano A Mano With 'Our Cartoon President'



Cartoon Donald Trump gives Stephen a free sample of tomorrow's Cartoon State of the Union.




Stephen Interviews Piers Morgan's Interview Of Donald Trump



Stephen sits down in front of a green screen for an exclusive interview with the President of the United States.

Hillary Clinton tweets out a lukewarm response to a report that she shielded a 2008 campaign adviser accused of sexual harassment.