The real test of viable forms of “alternative energy” is: does it stand on its own two legs, i.e. does it need government subsidies?!?!
Let's test -—
Do the following need government subsidies (or tax breaks) to work?
Wind: Yes, can't operate without government subsidies or tax breaks.
Solar: Yes, can't operate without government subsidies or tax breaks.
Biodiesel: Yes, can't operate without government subsidies or tax breaks.
End of story ——Case closed!
We did quite a bit of investigating into alternative sources of energy (HVAC) when we made plans to build a new house in '01. Solar with batteries really never paid out. Wind is not reliable.
The only high tech system that paid for itself and was reliable was a ground source heat pump with deep wells and heat exchanger. We paid about twice the cost of a traditional heat/cool system but our power bills for a 100 percent electric home are about $100/month. In the summer, our power bill actually goes down since the AC is essentially free.