So even if someone was to argue: hey, use solar for the grid during the day to save on coal and natural gas costs of generating electricity during the day, and on nights and rainy days the power company will buy hydrocarbons to run standard power plants. This article says that even with that kind of situation in which the grid power would be dependable, solar for the grid is still not worth it.
One of the ways to make it competitive is to drive the cost up of natural gas. Whether intentional or accidental, this is the goal.
It kills me when Elon Musk says we can power the US with solar that would cover a small corner of TX. He’s obviously not counting manufacturing plants. Every plastic film/bag plant has an electric bill of $50k per month and I’m pretty sure there’s no solar panels putting out 480 volt 3 phase or 440 volt single phase.
That’s just one of hundreds of different types of manufacturing.
Nope, this whole solar thing is going to be for homes only. Musk ain’t gonna be building rockets or Teslas on 100% solar.
One thing solar is good for is in places where power can’t feasibly be run, either due to distance from any utilities or terrain like the Rockies.
In most cases Solar is a big Scam. With that said, I Solar powered my well because it would cost at least $200K to get electricity up my mountain to the well. My system works flawlessly for my well, which is set to only run 2 hours a day MAX from 12-2 in the afternoon, I also ran power to 2 other out buildings for lights..., fed by my Solar setup. It will run a full size fridge forever and lights too, but that is about it except during the day you can do m a lot mor, but you better make sure the batteries are fully charged by sundown, or it will crap out before daybreak.
Magnum 240volt 40Amp Inverter
8, 6 volt 220AMP Hour Golf cart batteries
8 350 watt panels
1 60 amp MPPT charge controller
Subsidy: life support for ideas that would die in the real world.
The shift from "Fossil Fuels" to "Renewables" is underway because of too many voters ignorant of science and/or unwilling to accept that the Government is malicious, and "Experts" are rarely so.
I can't tell you how may arguments I have had with people about the "Global Warming" scam that ended with "well Global Warming is real and there is nothing you can show me that will make me change my mind".
At this point I believe a very large number of Leftists/Democrats know "Renewables" are part of the overall plan meant to establish global authoritarianism.
If it moves tax it and if it still moves regulate it and if it still moves subsidize it.
Ronald Reagan on how D.C. operates