How Much Power Does Trump Wield To Create Environmental Damage?
As reported by Green Tech Media:
President Trump issued an executive order today to dismantle the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan — a policy designed to curb carbon emissions from new and existing power plants by accelerating the adoption of lower-polluting energy resources.
The “Energy Independence” order also lifts a moratorium on federal coal leasing, triggers a review of methane and hydraulic fracturing restrictions, and eliminates use of the EPA’s “social cost of carbon” — a value placed on the long-term negative consequences of carbon emissions — in policy-making.
Some aspects of the executive action, like lifting the freeze on federal coal leasing, will take effect immediately, while the legal process of pulling back the Clean Power Plan (CPP) is more complex. Trump has formally called for the EPA to initiate a review of federal carbon regulations, which he is widely expected to weaken or eliminate.
There’s no doubt that Trump’s attack on the environment will have a negative effect on renewable energy. Obviously, if we show no regard for the state of our environment and encourage the burning of coal, we’re making it that much tougher for solar and wind to come out on top in a competitive environment.
That U.S. emissions will be rising between now and 2030, when the rest of the world is fighting so hard to reduce theirs, is a cruel irony of American life, given that this country continues to lead the world in cleantech innovation. In short: we engineer it; other countries manufacture and implement it.
But let’s review this with a critical eye. What are the effects of 20-year power purchase agreements at $0.04/KWh for solar and $0.025 for wind, in a marketplace in which coal comes in at about 4 cents as well?
This is why the whole world should remain Bullish on Renewable Energy. Whether or not Trump serves out his term, he has no power to kill clean energy, regardless of the support he throws behind the fossil fuel boys.
Industry will continue to function so as to create everything that needs to be in place to move renewables forward:
• Pride in lowering emissions that translates into better PR, higher sales figures, and enthusiastic employees
• Consuming large volumes of renewable energy on their own premises
• Understanding that, regardless of the ignorance and corruption in the U. S. federal government, cleantech is destined to be the defining business arena of the 21st Century
• Innovation in this space, according to its ever-increasing value in the global marketplace
We are fortunate to live in a world in which the overall success of renewable energy is guaranteed, since the fundamental ingredients remain unchanged.
craig,
Yes the undoing of the Clean Power Plan will keep coal on life support to a degree. Though your concerns are valid but for the following reasons I share the following market dynamics lets not lose sight of these as they will grow on their Own as you said End users will determine fuel sources market dynamics will do more for the phasing out of coal than even the clean Power Plan was going to do.
About a third of the existing coal plants may make the cut and be spared from the hang mans noose of chopping block…but even then the utility co just announced over 5,000 more coal megawatts to off line in the next 4 years . despite the Clean Power Plan being shredded.
West of the Rockies there will be around 4 to 7 coal plants if that when the smoke clears. These are all that is left from once was a decent sized Fleet. Some of the largest units closed or are being closed.
Navajo 100 % ,Boardman 100 %, Four Corners & San Juan 50 % , Reid closed, Colstrip ( 50 % ) , Hayden Col, 50 % and Inter Mountain 50 %.
many of these exported part of their out put to Cal for close to 5 decades.
Under mining Clean Power Plan will not save them – Board room decisions have been made. These old plants can t compete with GAS, Wind or Solar on capacity costs nor on O & M costs which are high as they age.
Pacific Corp owners of 6 large coal plants in Wy , Idaho and a few more in Utah has stated they will phase out by mid 2030’s and announced 3,000 megs of Wind and Solar before that time.So Warren Buffet is driving his train that way and that will cost him coal hauling revenues too from his RR but he sees the way forward.
Trumpster and his minions can’t do much about this – but hold Photo ops with exploited coal miners back East whose masters dont want to pay them or their health care , retirement pensions much longer either. So cynical and exploitative , these folks in leadership have no real human ethics.
So take heart in these positive market dynamics – in the Mid West and the South same pattern going on.
I do share your concerns with the changes in pollution laws and the under mining of the EPA and related agencies that is real harmful environmental damage that could negatively impact health and water quality for all , including the trump voters.
So there is some trumperian American Carnage coming into Play ….but in energy the market will set its own Pace.
If the Shell Oil and StatOIl and ENI , BP North Sea off shore wind movement grows like they say then the market for fossil fuel oil will reduce more in Europe as they switch to more EV transportation.
That will under mine the economics of the Keystone and Tar Sands etc. So the carbon heads are in a new fight for market share retention soon…the economics of EV versus a gallon of petrol is very compelling to go EV. But the carbon heads will be caught with stranded or under utilized assets. Thats just fine every one has the option of picking or chasing their ROI form of Poison in the market just dont force it on the consumer HAH !
take heart Craig these things are happening more to come….