First Post: China to Invest $78B to Build 110 Nuclear Power Plants by 2030
China plans to build 110 nuclear power plants by 2030 with an investment of over $78 billion (overtaking the U.S., which has 100 such plants) amid criticism that Beijing has yet to implement enough measures to develop safety controls in existing projects.
China will build six to eight nuclear power plants annually for the next five years and operate 110 plants by 2030 to meet the urgent need for clean energy, Beijing-based China Times quoted plan analysts as saying.
Business Insider: Converting Your House to Solar Is Now Cheaper Than a New Car
Ten years ago, about $43,000 could cover your home's rooftop in solar panels. Today the average gross cost is about $29,000 -- and the efficiency of converting sunlight into electricity has nearly doubled in that time.
This effectively makes the cost of an efficient solar roof lower than the average price of a new car in the U.S., which is now $33,560, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Guardian: Solar Industry Bosses Attack U.K. Government Over Jobs and Subsidies
Some of Britain’s most powerful solar executives have accused the government of mounting an ideologically driven campaign against their industry which has driven it into crisis.
Their criticism comes as a solar power company backed by the billionaire inventor Elon Musk has pulled out of the U.K., becoming the fourth such firm to close in a fortnight.
Executives have become increasingly outspoken ahead of a consultation on a proposed 87% cut in small-scale solar subsidy levels closing on Friday and job cuts mounting in the industry.
California Sunday Magazine: A Week in the Life of the Town That Keeps Your Lights On
Every Wyoming resident benefits from the Powder River Basin. Mineral industries pay taxes and fees to the state, while individuals don’t. This is a serious draw, as the Wall Street and Silicon Valley executives with part-time homes in Jackson can attest. Last year, taxes on the coal industry accounted for about one-quarter of the state’s revenue. Those who study and teach at the state’s educational institutions are even more reliant: The coal industry has provided roughly $1.9 billion to Wyoming schools since 2005.
How does it feel to be left behind by the nation you help fuel? What is it like losing the war on coal? Wondering that, I packed my car and drove from Laramie to Gillette. Before long, I saw a familiar bumper sticker. It said: "Welcome to Wyoming. Consider Everyone Armed."
Fuel Fix: Obama Administration Closes Off Two Avenues for New Arctic Drilling
The Obama administration moved on several fronts Friday to block new oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean, weeks after Shell said it would be walking away from the area “for the foreseeable future.”
The Interior Department announced it was canceling government auctions of drilling rights in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, previously scheduled for 2016 and 2017, respectively. At the same time, it formally rejected bids by Statoil and Shell for more time to search for crude under their existing Arctic leases.