Environment & Energy
In reply to the discussion: PLANET OF THE HUMANS' STREAMING: HOW TO WATCH THE MICHAEL MOORE-PRODUCED DOCUMENTARY ONLINE FOR FREE [View all]Finishline42
(1,091 posts)Because the cost to produce electricity from wind and solar is cheaper than all other types of electricity they will win the auctions to sell their power to the grid when it is available. And anytime they win over Natgas, coal or nuclear it drives up the cost to produce from those sources. When their costs go up it further justifies the building of more wind and solar. And economies of scale drives down the cost to do so.
Transmission lines are key. All you have to do is look at the growth of wind in Texas to understand that aspect of the problem. And they are now building a lot of utility grade solar to offset the lull periods of wind.
It seems every new project of wind and solar includes batteries. One that read specified that the batteries would be enough to cover a 4 hr time period.
I wonder what the prospects are of natgas not being cheap anymore? Wouldn't that change things in a hurry.