More than 68% of New European Electricity Capacity Came From Wind and Solar in 2011

[kristopher]

48. I already replied to your quesiton

You:

Now tell me how *increasing* the contribution of coal and *increasing* the contribution
of gas is going to achieve #5.

I already wrote:

The Rio Earth Summit was held in 1992 and marks the real beginning of our global effort to turn the tide of fossil fuel use. It took until 1994 to craft an international agreement to deal with the problem, and another 3 years to shape and pass a treaty binding nations to the agreement. It wasn't until 2005 that the treaty went into force.

Your numbers reflect the inertia of where we are coming from. The graph in the OP reflects where we are going - which is precisely why it is significant. The numbers for new coal capacity have been steadily declining both in the EU and the US. In fact, in the US coal's share of the electrical services market has declined 25% between 2005 and 2010. Sure, most of that is due to natural gas, but as has been repeatedly shown, that is in conjunction with a dramatic increase in the manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure for renewables and a steadily increasing rate of deployment for those technologies.

You:

I have repeatedly made honest arguments only to have them ignored & deflected by rubbish about "nuclear support".

Me:

The numbers for new coal capacity have been steadily declining both in the EU and the US. In fact, in the US coal's share of the electrical services market has declined 25% between 2005 and 2010. Sure, most of that is due to natural gas, but as has been repeatedly shown, that is in conjunction with a dramatic increase in the manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure for renewables and a steadily increasing rate of deployment for those technologies.

In other words your arguments are not as honest as you claim...

ETA: Now, why don't you share with us how nuclear could work to oust fossil fuels. You say you no longer support nuclear, fine. But you have supported it for many years and I presume that support included a vision of how we used building more nuclear to get to a carbon free world. Using that deep body of experience and knowledge, explain what the basis of your view was.

With renewables it is the zero-fuel cost coupled with a small per-unit capital cost.
What economic carrots and sticks gets nuclear plants built in places that shut down coal plants?