> I very much doubt the relative costs of production and storage in game are at all close to what they are in real life. The benefit is not constant either; in

> I very much doubt the relative costs of production and storage in game are at all close to what they are in real life. The benefit is not constant either; in areas with regular outages you have a very high incentive to build energy storage (food spoils in the fridge, you cannot do laundry, your router needs power etc). Add a choice of semi-viable alternative energy sources to the mix and the decision is just as interesting as it is in games. Real World Scenario(TM) - Northern Republica Dominicana: * rolling blackouts (typically 8h, from 9am to 5pm; once a week); at least once a week some drunk driver takes down a pole (usually fixed in 2h) * capped electricity bills for low income households * no enforcement of security standards (not sure such exist at all) - so an array of old car batteries will do just fine. bonus points for investing another $50 into acid-resistant flooring. * solar power works, but without sun tracking only for 5 to 8h/day * wind power works, but not everywhere (jungle is a great barrier for wind) * water pressure is so low you need a motorized pump just to flush your toilet [disclaimer: I spent 6 months in that part of the DR in the last 2 years] EDIT: Only 2nd hand, but from 200[345] - in an economic standoff between government and energy producer the navy sent "generator ships" that anchored near the shore of Puerto Plata and delivered electricity to the local population through cables they ran through the water.