Electric Cars: Chev Bolt seems to be the first practical one.

[California]

What new energy source , energy storage device and energy transmission device do you propose ?

There are no new... There are no new.... There are no .... There is a percent or two here and there however ... higher costs outweigh the marginal improvements.

I Googled 'chart cost of solar panels' and found many charts showing falling prices. Charts for wind power look similar. So it looks to me there are in fact new marginal improvements in energy generation that do come with lower costs.

I'm not talking about base load here.

Here's one chart that is representative of many I found:

 

[Egon]

The general public wanted land line electricity for lighting and reduction of manual labour. We already have low cost reliable long range, comfortable transportation with ICE. Why purchase a smaller vehicle for more money and have to plan you trip between charging stations and wait for the charging process.

Aww gee; that's a toughie! Standardize batteries, make them drive through replaceable and it would be very little different than filling a gas tank. Go fuel cell and it's just like a regular propane fill up. Yes, there are some of those stations scattered around.

 

[Egon]

there is a long line of greenies that believe that solar, wind, tidal and geothermal can eliminate coal, oil, gas and nuclear energy production.

And since time immortal those greenies have been using greenie power!

 

[Oaktree]

there is a long line of greenies that believe that solar, wind, tidal and geothermal can eliminate coal, oil, gas and nuclear energy production.

See that's the problem with the alt-right. Alex Jones or KellyAnn Conway or someone paid by Exxon proclaims some alt-facts and their believers jump onboard to parrot the lies without questioning them.

There is no long line of greenies who believe that!!! It's a figment of your warped imagination. You or somebody made that up for use as a debating point - with no regard for truth.

Are you a robot?

Are you? Ever read any of the "environmentalist" literature? They're claiming exactly that! Why would Exxon-Mobil or any of the other large energy companies promote alt fuels? People of all political persuasions get suckered in by half truths and tall tales.

That having been said, while all of the above certainly have the potential to add to the energy mix, but I doubt any combination of them will do much more than make a dent in "conventional" power generation.
The NIMBYs in many places (including neighboring Vermont) have gotten their shorts all in a knot over wind turbines. Solar farms, at least at a scale that would generate meaningful amounts of power are kind of ugly, and take up large plots of land. Geothermal and tidal aren't even in the game now, and likely won't be for some time.

Keep in mind that all of the above have pretty serious restrictions as to availability of the natural forces that power them.

 

[Redneck in training]

Since Iowa has good wind resource both Iowa utilities are building wind farms big time (claiming it makes economic sense) and combine them with gas burning combine cycle generators. Their plan is to increase wind generation from current about 35% to 85% by 2020 and phase out most of coal burning capacity.
Utilities like utility owned wind because it is "dispatchable". They don't like residential solar because they don't have control over it.
My wife has a client (farmer) that has several large wind turbines on his land. He makes about 12000/year per turbine in land lease and royalties while he can still use most of the land.
Average cost per kWh in Iowas is 8.5 cent.

 

[houstonscott]

Aww gee; that's a toughie! Standardize batteries, make them drive through replaceable and it would be very little different than filling a gas tank. Go fuel cell and it's just like a regular propane fill up. Yes, there are some of those stations scattered around.

But why go through the expense and trouble, it's not as convenient as ice. Why do it? You are asking for sacrifice for a problem that doesn't exist.

 

[buickanddeere]

I Googled 'chart cost of solar panels' and found many charts showing falling prices. Charts for wind power look similar. So it looks to me there are in fact new marginal improvements in energy generation that do come with lower costs.

I'm not talking about base load here.

Here's one chart that is representative of many I found:

Solar panel cost dropped because production was moved from the west to China. Where there are lower wages and an indifference to the toxic waste from PV production. Price dropped again as Chinese PV producers reduced thier proffit margine when PV sales dropped due to fewer subsidies to western FIT producers . The price is about as low as it's going to get for PV's.

 

[Redneck in training]

Solar panel cost dropped because production was moved from the west to China. Where there are lower wages and an indifference to the toxic waste from PV production. Price dropped again as Chinese PV producers reduced thier proffit margine when PV sales dropped due to fewer subsidies to western FIT producers . The price is about as low as it's going to get for PV's.

Are you saying that making fuel is clean process? Not even close.

 

[zzvyb6]

No, he's saying that the Chinese have allowed their country to turn into an environmental wasteland in order to put American workers out of jobs. Now go buy another Chinese tractor. Want to solve the energy problem? Stop having children.

 

[houstonscott]

Solar Panels Generate 300 Times More Toxic Waste Than Nuclear Reactors

Coal and NG looking very good, solar, nuke, wind are looking like a disaster.