Thom Hartmann: A New Manhattan Project

from truthout:


A New Manhattan Project
Saturday, 09 February 2013 10:40 By Thom Hartmann, The Daily Take | Op-Ed


Something interesting is happening in Australia.

A new study by the research firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance has found that unsubsidized renewable energy is now cheaper than fossil fuels like coal and gas.

In fact, it’s a lot cheaper.

Data shows that wind farms in Australia can produce energy at AU$80/MWh. Meanwhile, coal plants are producing energy at AU$143/MWh and gas at AU$116/MWh.

Unlike the United States, where energy companies can pollute and have the costs (from illness to environmental degradation) picked up by the taxpayers, Australia has a carbon tax, which partially explains why renewables have a price advantage. But the data shows that even without the cost of carbon tax factored in; wind energy is still 14-cents cheaper than coal and 18-cents cheaper than gas. ....................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/14445-a-new-manhattan-project