“The excitement is rising on this crisp autumn day here at the Energy Futures Speedway!” This is Luke Att’emmgo. I’m here with Ken Ya-Lappum, and what a race we have ahead of us! We’re just minutes away from the start of the Energy Futures 500, the race to see which energy sources will carry Mother Earth on into the future.”
“Once again, Luke,” Ken chimed in, “this race pits two old rivals – Fanciers of Fossil Fuels, Inc. (FOFF) and Carbon-free, Healthier, Inexpensive, Next-generation Advantages Ltd. (CHINA). The question is, will FOFF, the traditional favorite, be able to hold off this relatively new start-up, CHINA? Or will 21st century technologies defeat those traditional economies still relying on outmoded 20th century energy sources?”
“The starter’s flag is up…and they’re off!” Luke exclaimed. “But wait… there seems to be some confusion in the FOFF pit. Their ‘Beautiful Clean Coal’ entry is sputtering and coughing at the starting line!”
“Well Luke,” Ken interjected. “I’m not surprised. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation recently found that coal isn’t the reliable energy source it’s cracked up to be. Its equipment-related outage rate is over 12%; whereas wind’s is about 6.6%. And coal’s reliability is worsening year by year.”
“But just look at CHINA speed away from the rest of the field! It’s no wonder. CHINA’s push to expand very affordable solar and other renewables has dropped renewable energy costs dramatically. Fast-growing and economically poorer countries alike are paying attention. More and more they’re opting for low-cost, clean energy sources they can generate themselves.
“Consider this. Countries like Brazil, India and Vietnam are rapidly expanding solar and wind power. Poorer countries like Ethiopia and Nepal are leapfrogging over gasoline-burning cars to battery-powered ones. Nigeria, a petrostate, plans to build its first solar-panel manufacturing plant. Morocco is creating a battery hub to supply European automakers. Santiago, the capital of Chile, has electrified more than half of its bus fleet.”*
Later…FOFF never did catch CHINA. Spectators drifting away from the stands wondered, “What are the FOFF execs thinking?! Why hang their racing gloves on dirty, increasingly expensive fuels when the rest of the world is embracing a new reality?”
Old habits (and entrenched interests) die hard. We don’t have to let them drag us along because this is our only home. It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.
*NYTimes – Sengupta & Plumer
“Once again, Luke,” Ken chimed in, “this race pits two old rivals – Fanciers of Fossil Fuels, Inc. (FOFF) and Carbon-free, Healthier, Inexpensive, Next-generation Advantages Ltd. (CHINA). The question is, will FOFF, the traditional favorite, be able to hold off this relatively new start-up, CHINA? Or will 21st century technologies defeat those traditional economies still relying on outmoded 20th century energy sources?”
“The starter’s flag is up…and they’re off!” Luke exclaimed. “But wait… there seems to be some confusion in the FOFF pit. Their ‘Beautiful Clean Coal’ entry is sputtering and coughing at the starting line!”
“Well Luke,” Ken interjected. “I’m not surprised. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation recently found that coal isn’t the reliable energy source it’s cracked up to be. Its equipment-related outage rate is over 12%; whereas wind’s is about 6.6%. And coal’s reliability is worsening year by year.”
“But just look at CHINA speed away from the rest of the field! It’s no wonder. CHINA’s push to expand very affordable solar and other renewables has dropped renewable energy costs dramatically. Fast-growing and economically poorer countries alike are paying attention. More and more they’re opting for low-cost, clean energy sources they can generate themselves.
“Consider this. Countries like Brazil, India and Vietnam are rapidly expanding solar and wind power. Poorer countries like Ethiopia and Nepal are leapfrogging over gasoline-burning cars to battery-powered ones. Nigeria, a petrostate, plans to build its first solar-panel manufacturing plant. Morocco is creating a battery hub to supply European automakers. Santiago, the capital of Chile, has electrified more than half of its bus fleet.”*
Later…FOFF never did catch CHINA. Spectators drifting away from the stands wondered, “What are the FOFF execs thinking?! Why hang their racing gloves on dirty, increasingly expensive fuels when the rest of the world is embracing a new reality?”
Old habits (and entrenched interests) die hard. We don’t have to let them drag us along because this is our only home. It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.
*NYTimes – Sengupta & Plumer
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