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It's cheap in the places that are windy. One big challenge (mentioned tangentially in the article) is in moving this cheap energy from the windy center of the c

by KVFinn 9y ago

It's cheap in the places that are windy. One big challenge (mentioned tangentially in the article) is in moving this cheap energy from the windy center of the continent to the populated coasts. I wish this was higher priority, because the same X is already very cheap where it is Y is true of so many renewable sources like solar as well. And a wide power grid with long distance markets produces more consistent power since it averages different weather in different places and different power sources all together.

dsfyu404ed 9y ago
To make something that is cheap in X but not on Y cheap in both you must first overcome the entrenched special interests who make money from that thing being expensive in Y.
- KVFinn 9y ago
  >To make something that is cheap in X but not on Y cheap in both you must first overcome the entrenched special interests who make money from that thing being expensive in Y. Yes, it's a huge problem. States fight against buying cheaper power out of a state because they'd rather pay higher prices but keep the jobs and tax revenue in their own state. And on the other end, places that ended up with unusually cheap power (because the local market changes for example) sometimes oppose building out power lines that would enable the power to be sold nearby because it would end up increase local prices. So many screwy incentives! Really need a power grid initiative.
  - dsfyu404ed 9y ago
    >Yes, it's a huge problem. States fight against buying cheaper power out of a state because they'd rather pay higher prices but keep the jobs and tax revenue in their own state. Every day I drive past a bridge being constructed. It's a bunch of 50-100ft steel arch sections that go between concrete islands in a shallow river. They would have been done last year if they had just ordered up a replacement and had it brought in on a barge then put it in place. Instead they'd rather spend the money on what's essentially a welfare/jobs program. I wish they'd at least acknowledge that angle rather than playing dumb and looking like they got ripped off.

by KVFinn 9y ago

dsfyu404ed 9y ago

To make something that is cheap in X but not on Y cheap in both you must first overcome the entrenched special interests who make money from that thing being expensive in Y.

KVFinn 9y ago
>To make something that is cheap in X but not on Y cheap in both you must first overcome the entrenched special interests who make money from that thing being expensive in Y. Yes, it's a huge problem. States fight against buying cheaper power out of a state because they'd rather pay higher prices but keep the jobs and tax revenue in their own state. And on the other end, places that ended up with unusually cheap power (because the local market changes for example) sometimes oppose building out power lines that would enable the power to be sold nearby because it would end up increase local prices. So many screwy incentives! Really need a power grid initiative.
- dsfyu404ed 9y ago
  >Yes, it's a huge problem. States fight against buying cheaper power out of a state because they'd rather pay higher prices but keep the jobs and tax revenue in their own state. Every day I drive past a bridge being constructed. It's a bunch of 50-100ft steel arch sections that go between concrete islands in a shallow river. They would have been done last year if they had just ordered up a replacement and had it brought in on a barge then put it in place. Instead they'd rather spend the money on what's essentially a welfare/jobs program. I wish they'd at least acknowledge that angle rather than playing dumb and looking like they got ripped off.