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You’ve just illustrated why power will never be free. When you have to give something away for free because you made too much of it, then it’s costing you more to produce than it’s worth. If everybody had solar panels then at high noon the power would be worthless yet in the middle of the night or cloudy days it would be expensive. California politicians might tell you they’re producing only clean energy by the reality is California imports the large energy deficit which can originate from coal plants in other states. http://instituteforenergyresearch.or...-coal-use/they People will be burning fossil fuels for a long time.
Batteries technology has not progressed anywhere near the point where it can replace an ICE. Until you can recharge anywhere in 5 minutes or less ICE’s will always be around. Not everybody shares enthusiasm for eating fast food every few hour for 40 minutes while the car charges and not everybody wants to wait in a line waiting for that charger either. https://www.google.com/amp/s/insidee...er-wvideo/amp/
And don’t forget, batteries aren’t made from thin air. Everything is constrained to some resource and cobalt prices have already surged 180% in the past few years and that’s with just less than 3 percent of the world’s cars being EVs. We’re not even talking power grid batteries, and large batteries for semi trucks. And the vast majority of that cobalt comes from the Congo which isn’t exactly the most stable country in the world. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.for...-jeopardy/amp/
The reason Tesla’s batteries retain so much lifespan isn’t because of its cooling system (large batteries have been cooled for years), but because nobody is actually discharging their batteries beyond the 40 miles or so it takes to commute to work. It’s like using your smartphone for 10 minutes a day, then just tossing it back on the charger. This sounds great until you realize that that’s because people paid for too much battery to begin with. The premium up charge to go from a 40 mile battery to a 300 mile battery was just a very expensive cure for range anxiety.
I know it sounds good coming from some politician, but there is a lot going on behind the curtain and if you don't dig deep enough you’ll be disappointed when you realize the end of ICE’s was always a myth.
The way Tesla is going it won’t be around much longer because they can’t produce what they promised and the major automakers can. People who put down deposits for their model 3 are asking for their money back.
Solar power is not free. In fact, powering a home from solar energy costs 2-3 times what grid power costs. I have a small solar power business and live with solar power. It is comparatively expensive.
These millenials with their "free solar power" and Tesla "wonder batteries". The delusions are strong.
When we can make good, gigantic batteries out of cheap, common minerals such as calcium or salt then a solar powered grid may become possible. That is presently a very long way off. We used to make good, long lived batteries out of iron and quit doing that. Which tells me that the real powers at be are not interested in a true solar powered grid. See the Iron Edison battery for what could have been. You can still buy them.....from China.
You’ve just illustrated why power will never be free. When you have to give something away for free because you made too much of it, then it’s costing you more to produce than it’s worth
I'm afraid you misunderstood my post. Long distance phone calls and internet usage are "free" because it is no longer cost effective for the telecoms to bill for usage. So they just charge you a flat fee to connect to their infrastructure. Of course those services aren't really free, just flat rate.
I'm just repeating what many energy observers and analysts have said: in the decades ahead energy will be so plentiful and cheap that it will follow the same billing model, e.g. "connect to the grid for $150/month flat rate up to xxx kW per month." Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Chile had auctions for utility-scale solar projects that resulted in bids of 2 cents per kWh. Flat rate makes sense at these low prices because the customer is mostly paying for the capital and maintenance, the energy itself is a very small component of the total cost.
The way Tesla is going it won’t be around much longer because they can’t produce what they promised and the major automakers can. People who put down deposits for their model 3 are asking for their money back.
If they would declassify some of Teslas plans for powering vehicles (and cities for that matter), there would be entirely new industries that spring up over night, cranking out cars and trucks.
I'm afraid you misunderstood my post. Long distance phone calls and internet usage are "free" because it is no longer cost effective for the telecoms to bill for usage. So they just charge you a flat fee to connect to their infrastructure. Of course those services aren't really free, just flat rate.
I'm just repeating what many energy observers and analysts have said: in the decades ahead energy will be so plentiful and cheap that it will follow the same billing model, e.g. "connect to the grid for $150/month flat rate up to xxx kW per month." Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Chile had auctions for utility-scale solar projects that resulted in bids of 2 cents per kWh. Flat rate makes sense at these low prices because the customer is mostly paying for the capital and maintenance, the energy itself is a very small component of the total cost.
Remember that’s what they used to say about nuclear power. The problem isn’t producing the energy. It’s storing it and allowing it to be used at all times of the day. Imagine if everybody had an EV and charged at the same time every night. That happens to be when solar panels are producing no energy. Yes you could have the world’s largest battery network to try and get you through a 24 hr cycle, but then you would still need power for cloudy days, rainy days, less sunshine hours during the winter, etc. To do this power company’s use “peaker plants”, which are essentially gas turbine engines to make up the difference. So now instead of maintaining one plant you maintain two. It’s cheaper just to use the gas turbine plant that’s creating the majority of the energy anyway.
Solar power is not free. In fact, powering a home from solar energy costs 2-3 times what grid power costs. I have a small solar power business and live with solar power. It is comparatively expensive.
These millenials with their "free solar power" and Tesla "wonder batteries". The delusions are strong.
When we can make good, gigantic batteries out of cheap, common minerals such as calcium or salt then a solar powered grid may become possible. That is presently a very long way off. We used to make good, long lived batteries out of iron and quit doing that. Which tells me that the real powers at be are not interested in a true solar powered grid. See the Iron Edison battery for what could have been. You can still buy them.....from China.
Nothing is free, as long as it's provided to you there's no free lunch. Millennials are too used to being spoonfed, that's why when they're asked to pay anything they get angry.
It might happen. I drive an electric car so..............that aside, none of us will see the complete end of gas cars.
We haven't even made gas powered equipment obsolete. I had multiple electric powered lawn tools, had to go back to gas. Just can't beat combustion power.
We haven't even made gas powered equipment obsolete. I had multiple electric powered lawn tools, had to go back to gas. Just can't beat combustion power.
Lol, I got rid of my lame battery operated leaf blower and had to go to a gas unit. You can beat the power to weight ratio. I laugh when I see people using a lawn mower with an extension cord.
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