They don't make economic sense as ways to reduce carbon emissions even when the price for a ton of carbon is set 5 times above the current European price. And they don't make environmental sense either. Wind slaughters birds and bats by the millions and solar installations consume thousands of acres of habitat for very little power generated.
Nuclear power and gas are much better investments to reduce carbon. They of course are opposed by most enviros demonstrating once again that catastrophic global warming is simply a means to the end of a deenergized society that they believe would be more "respectful" of their pagan "Earth God".
The Economist has more details here. And remember these numbers use a carbon price that is 5x more than today's price. So cut the emissions saved and added by 80% if you want today's true economics. But if anyone comes to you arguing for wind or solar as the solution to anything but our 'excess wealth' problem you have my permission to tell them that they are raping the land and your pocketbook. Worse than any 1950 chemical industry honcho because the honchos at least didn't piss money away when they raped the land.
That'll put them on their heels.
That'll put them on their heels.
Exactly right. The key parameter for any environmentalist or engineer is power density.
ReplyDeleteThis is why local solar and nuclear are the wise environmentalists' choice.
There's more than enough sunlit human structure on earth to meet all peak daytime power needs via solar PV/hot-water. Add in EVs, efficient storage and nuclear, and we're done for thousands of years.
Further, there are no "renewables", because of conservation of energy -- remember science class? However,, since wind & hydro are subject to climate change, the closest to being renewable are solar & nuclear.
Solar, until the sun goes red giant and eats us all; nuclear as long as there are any rocky/watery bodies in the solar system.
Remember nuclear fission is just the discharging of fusion 'batteries' charged up billions of years ago by exploding stars.
;]