Musk is a rent seeker. What he will do it is try to get the most government subsidies for his batteries just like Solar City sucks down taxpayer and ratepayer subsidies. I have some solar with no subsidies from either taxpayers or ratepayers. I also have batteries, one of the ways I do not get subsidies. Instead of "selling" overpriced power to the grid, needed or not, while getting power when ever I need (e.g. during solar eclipses, clouds and night) I use batteries.
My batteries cost a lot more than my panels. Musk will not make cheaper batteries, he will make expensive batteries that I will pay for through my taxes.
If something is a good idea, it should not need government subsidies, there should be plenty of private capital willing to fund it.
I’m no expert on the subject however, from what I understand, Musk and his engineers have found a way to produce these “new” batteries at a cost that is substantially lower that what are available today.
Elon Musk is no fool and I doubt he would be making the investment in this new manufacturing plant if its future depended on subsidies.
I’m not here to promote or slam solar either way. I’m just pointing out that there have been some advancements that seem to be moving the industry in the right direction.
I think the industry can’t be discounted out of hand and is worth watching.
Musk is a rent seeker.
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To some extent, but he also produces commercially successful products that people actually want. Much more so than any other rent seeker in history probably.