Comments on: The Electricity Grid Is About To Change… A Lot!

By: Adam Weisshaupt

Adam Weisshaupt — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:45:00 +0000

Battery Tech is what is holding renewable energy back, and I see nothing in this article that suggests a breakthrough in that regard. . Wind and Solar simply can’t drive our industrial needs until a cheaper, more reliable and more efficient battery technology exists. And no many how many regulations and government guns you put into peoples faces, fossil and fission will continue to be used – because only they can meet the need. All such legislation does is drive up the prices for energy and lower everyone’s standard of living. Sorry folks, but reality doesn’t care about your feelings. Renewables won’t be used until the prices are competitive AND the technology can do the job.

By: Jouni Valkonen

Jouni Valkonen — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 20:29:00 +0000

In reply to shecky vegas. Similarly more modern example. Mobile internet was used to be horribly expensive, but today operators are giving unlimited 100 Mbps bandwith away for free in return for small monthly fee. That is: mobile Internet is already today too cheap to meter. It really happens in real life because the technology evolves exponentially and this is exactly what will happen with EV charging in near future and has already happened with Tesla Superchargers.

By: shecky vegas

shecky vegas — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 18:08:00 +0000

In reply to Jouni Valkonen. It will be similar to what happened with Long Distance telephone charges. The technology advanced enough that the charges were negligible. That's why everyone basically gets unlimited Long Distance calling on their cell phones.

By: jeffhre

jeffhre — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 16:23:00 +0000

In reply to Jouni Valkonen. I wouldn't say too cheap to meter. I will emphatically say too cheap to compete with.

By: Jouni Valkonen

Jouni Valkonen — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 01:27:00 +0000

In reply to Deep Time. It is inevitable that "too cheap to meter" happens at some point. That is is because electricity gets continuously cheaper and society gets more and more prosperous. This has already happened E. G. In Norway, where electricity is often too cheap to meter. Also With Tesla solar and battery powered superchargers, electricity is already too cheap to meter, because the marginal cost for metering EV fast charging is too high relative to electricity price. Therefore it makes sense for Tesla to give electricity away for free forever.

By: Deep Time

Deep Time — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 19:28:00 +0000

“In 2064, solar power and wind power will be have become so cheap that fossil fuel or nuclear power plants will be ancient relics of another era.”

“Too cheap to meter.” Now, where have I heard that before?