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Sunday, July 15th, 2018

Europe keeps setting clean-energy records

Author:     Akshat Rathi
Source:     Quartz
Publication Date:     14 July 2018
 Link: Europe keeps setting clean-energy records
Stephan:   If I step back from any allegiance to the U.S. and simply look at what is happening as a social research scientist and historian, it is obvious America under the Trumplican Party is literally destroying itself as a world leader. Nowhere is this more evident than in energy policies. The christofascists who people the Trump administration in service to their lord -- and I don't mean God -- care nothing for America's wellbeing only the profits of their  corporate masters to whom their lord owes fealty. In contrast here is what is going on in Europe. I feel so sorry for the generation that will follow us. I suspect they will despise and resent us for what we have done to their lives.

Soaking the sun. Credit: Reuters/Thomas Bohlen

This week, two of the biggest economies in Europe set new records for clean energy.

The UK’s electrical grid has not burned any coal for about 1,000 hours so far this year. Though it’s just a symbolic achievement, the pace at which the UK is reaching such figures shows the pace of the energy transition. In 2016 and 2017, the comparable figures for the full year stood at 210 hours and 624 hours, respectively.

There are two reasons for the shift: a carbon tax on coal has made cleaner natural gas more attractive, and subsidies for solar and wind power have ensured wider deployment of new clean-energy technologies.

Germany’s case has been slightly different. Though it began pushing for renewable energy much earlier than the UK, its gains have been slower. The coal lobby in Germany is a lot stronger than in the UK.

But as the costs of renewable energy have come down, change is finally showing. In 2018 so far, […]

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