There are two forms of inexpensive green energy: Hydroelectric, and geothermal.
In Canada, the price of electricity is inversely correlated with the amount of hydroelectric deployed, with Quebec having most hydroelectric and the lowest electricity rates, and Alberta having the least and some of the highest. Iceland famously has geothermal such that everyone gets free hot water they can use for domestic water or for heating their homes. Last year, norway had a period of negative electricity rates because there was so much electricity being produced a such a low cost they needed to get rid of it.
Contrast with the actual effects of magic tech like solar or wind. If it's the cheapest form of energy, why do electricity costs skyrocket when they're implemented? In Ontario, they had some of the lowest electricity prices in the country until the government started out on a new plan to install windmills and solar panels. Shortly after that, electricity prices tripled. Australia used to have some of the cheapest electricity in the developed world (admitted due to coal power plants) until they started trying to migrate to solar and wind, which led to prices nearly 10x what they used to be.
The politicans are just lying when they say that wind and solar are the least expensive form of power, particularly since for much of the year and much of each day something like solar has a price per unit power approaching infinity. How much installed solar capacity would you need in order to heat your home at night in winter? Maybe you could get a pittance of energy from the stars, but practically speaking you'd need to build a virtually unlimited number to heat one home. Same as a windmill when the wind isn't blowing.
There are spots where solar can be helpful. For example, I imagine in equatorial regions where you're trying to cool more than heat or light, you may get the most energy at the same time you need it. There's also an argument for solar or wind in off-grid living where you might be able to work around the limitations because there's one user or small group of users. A farm for example could have a wind generator and use it for various tasks when the wind blows, and of course windmills in some countries were the way grain was turned into flour, but on the days the wind isn't blowing, those units aren't producing.
In Canada, the price of electricity is inversely correlated with the amount of hydroelectric deployed, with Quebec having most hydroelectric and the lowest electricity rates, and Alberta having the least and some of the highest. Iceland famously has geothermal such that everyone gets free hot water they can use for domestic water or for heating their homes. Last year, norway had a period of negative electricity rates because there was so much electricity being produced a such a low cost they needed to get rid of it.
Contrast with the actual effects of magic tech like solar or wind. If it's the cheapest form of energy, why do electricity costs skyrocket when they're implemented? In Ontario, they had some of the lowest electricity prices in the country until the government started out on a new plan to install windmills and solar panels. Shortly after that, electricity prices tripled. Australia used to have some of the cheapest electricity in the developed world (admitted due to coal power plants) until they started trying to migrate to solar and wind, which led to prices nearly 10x what they used to be.
The politicans are just lying when they say that wind and solar are the least expensive form of power, particularly since for much of the year and much of each day something like solar has a price per unit power approaching infinity. How much installed solar capacity would you need in order to heat your home at night in winter? Maybe you could get a pittance of energy from the stars, but practically speaking you'd need to build a virtually unlimited number to heat one home. Same as a windmill when the wind isn't blowing.
There are spots where solar can be helpful. For example, I imagine in equatorial regions where you're trying to cool more than heat or light, you may get the most energy at the same time you need it. There's also an argument for solar or wind in off-grid living where you might be able to work around the limitations because there's one user or small group of users. A farm for example could have a wind generator and use it for various tasks when the wind blows, and of course windmills in some countries were the way grain was turned into flour, but on the days the wind isn't blowing, those units aren't producing.
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