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EPA carbon regulations will not destroy the electrical grid

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Renewable energy is a lot like agriculture. There are millions of farms across the country, each producing a small portion of the commodity over vast tracts of land. Farms and warehouses store commodities like silage and corn for long-periods of time, allowing off-season access to seasonal produce to feed animals and humans alike year round. The agricultural system is quite cost-effective at producing food at affordable prices for most Americans. There is no reason we couldn't have millions of solar cells and wind turbines across America.

Electricity is very difficult to store in quantity. But so is food and feed. Both food and feed rot if left out to elements, and many foods can't even be stored for long periods of times even with the best of technologies. That's why a lot of foods are imported from other parts of the country out-of-season or other parts of the world where it's in season. But there is no reason we can't move electricity around long distances, nor is there any reason why we can have ample storage of electricity in many diversified storage facilities -- from big pump-hydro to batteries and flywheels.

What is the Cooperstown Holstein Corp? And What Does It Have to Do With Fracking?

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A lot of people have been talking about the Cooperstown Holsteins Court of Appeals oral arguments today.

From the article:

"Half way through Cooperstown Holsteins’ five-year mineral rights lease, mining — and in particular hydrofracking — became a hot topic. Local residents opposed to fracking have taken up strong opposition to anyone leasing their mineral rights."

"Ironically, the land Cooperstown Holsteins has leased is unsuitable for fracking because the layer of Marcellus shale is too shallow to drill. The next layer is sandstone, which could support conventional drilling, something that has been done for the past 60 years without incident in western New York state. Below the sandstone is the Utica shale, which is unproven."

Cheaper Chinese solar panels are not due to low-cost labor

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the-7-reasons-why-the-solar-revolution-took-offCheaper Chinese solar panels are not due to low-cost labor

"A study of the photovoltaic industries in the US and China shows that China's dominance in solar panel manufacturing is not driven solely by cheaper labor and government support, but by larger-scale manufacturing and resulting supply-chain benefits."

I think in a few years, as solar prices continue to decline, and so does the solid state equipment that ties you into grid, solar panels will eventually become standard equipment on most buildings, just like electrical lights are right now.