WSJ–Can Solar Power Compete With Coal? In India, It’s Gaining Ground- Electricity from sunlight costs less, a hopeful sign for developing nations building out their power grids
BHADLA, India—In a dusty northwest India desert dotted with cows and the occasional camel, a solar-power plant is producing some of the world’s cheapest energy.
Built in 2018 by India’s Acme Solar Holdings Ltd., it can generate 200 megawatts of electricity, enough to power all the homes in a middle-size U.S. town. Acme sells the electricity to distributors for 2.44 rupees (3.4 cents) a kilowatt-hour, a record low for solar power in India, a country that data trackers say has the world’s cheapest solar energy.Electricity from sunlight costs less to generate in India than from coal, a sign the clean-energy source will play a big role as developing nations build out their power grids. A driving force: China’s plunging solar-panel prices.
Washington Post: Regulatory relief over mercury emissions? No Thank You says industry
For more than three years, the Trump administration has prided itself on working with industry to unshackle companies from burdensome environmental regulations. But as the Environmental Protection Agency prepares to finalize the latest in a long line of rollbacks, the nation’s power sector has sent a different message:
Thanks, but no thanks.
Exelon, one of the nation’s largest utilities, told the EPA that its effort to change a rule that has cut emissions of mercury and other toxins is “an action that is entirely unnecessary, unreasonable, and universally opposed by the power generation sector.”
Kathy Robertson, a senior manager for environmental policy at the company, said the industry long ago complied with the rule.
AAA – PUMP PRICES DOWN : Since Monday Feb 10, the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline has decreased by a penny to $2.42. New data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) helps to explain why: total domestic gasoline supplies remain high while demand remains low. For total domestic supply, although it took a minor step back by 100,000 bbl last week, it is still 2.7 million bbl higher than 2019’s level at this time. A higher stock level and lower demand – which EIA estimates fell from 8.93 million b/d to 8.72 million b/d last week – have helped to push pump prices lower across the country. These trends will likely continue through the end of the week and help to push pump prices lower.
The cheapest price for gas is again in Lemoore California selling regular for $2.52 a gallon at some places in town.
For more than three years, the Trump administration has prided itself on working with industry to unshackle companies from burdensome environmental regulations. But as the Environmental Protection Agency prepares to finalize the latest in a long line of rollbacks, the nation’s power sector has sent a different message: