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Look at my comment history for a previous discussion but these studies also include theoretical costs for non-renewable energy called 'carbon pricing'. It's fla

by ethn 6y ago

Look at my comment history for a previous discussion but these studies also include theoretical costs for non-renewable energy called 'carbon pricing'. It's flat-out dishonest. If solar power were the cheapest energy source, it would be unilaterally adopted until it's no longer the cheapest option--it's trivial to hook up to the grid, private individuals do it today. Unless of course there is a global conspiracy with the entire energy utility, semiconductor, and financial industry; private individuals; and municipalities to avoid profit seeking behavior.

jay_kyburz 6y ago
I think it is slowly adopted everywhere, and we are facing resistance from the traditional energy industry as they try to protect their current investments. Profit seeking behavior from the fossil fuel industry is to resist change at all costs. Profit seeking behavior from our politicians here in Australia is to not upset the fossil fuel industry as they are a large source of donations.
- ethn 6y ago
  Indeed that is the conspiracy theory where they have undue influence on the profit seeking behaviors of utility companies, financial entities, municipalities, and otherwise private individuals with sufficient capital. However, what most don't know is that the big money (in terms of EBITDA) in the fossil fuel industry is in downstream services, plastics and other carbon products derived from oil. This accounts for around 80.1% of Exxon's Revenue[1] and even more in profit. The goal for Exxon is to reduce reliance of energy from oil to reduce the cost of crude oil and maintain the sticky margins of plastics. It's for this reason that Exxon has always been in the forefront in carbon economies and taxes [2]. Energy is instead one of the worst businesses to be in, a low-margin commodity, with ever-decreasing margins. [1] https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/16/how-exxonmobil-strikes-the-right-balance-in-rocky.aspx https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/16/how-exxonmobil-str... [2] https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/09/exxon-mobil-pledges-1-million-to-campaign-to-promote-carbon-tax.html https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/09/exxon-mobil-pledges-1-millio...

by ethn 6y ago

jay_kyburz 6y ago

I think it is slowly adopted everywhere, and we are facing resistance from the traditional energy industry as they try to protect their current investments. Profit seeking behavior from the fossil fuel industry is to resist change at all costs. Profit seeking behavior from our politicians here in Australia is to not upset the fossil fuel industry as they are a large source of donations.

ethn 6y ago
Indeed that is the conspiracy theory where they have undue influence on the profit seeking behaviors of utility companies, financial entities, municipalities, and otherwise private individuals with sufficient capital. However, what most don't know is that the big money (in terms of EBITDA) in the fossil fuel industry is in downstream services, plastics and other carbon products derived from oil. This accounts for around 80.1% of Exxon's Revenue[1] and even more in profit. The goal for Exxon is to reduce reliance of energy from oil to reduce the cost of crude oil and maintain the sticky margins of plastics. It's for this reason that Exxon has always been in the forefront in carbon economies and taxes [2]. Energy is instead one of the worst businesses to be in, a low-margin commodity, with ever-decreasing margins. [1] https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/16/how-exxonmobil-strikes-the-right-balance-in-rocky.aspx https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/16/how-exxonmobil-str... [2] https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/09/exxon-mobil-pledges-1-million-to-campaign-to-promote-carbon-tax.html https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/09/exxon-mobil-pledges-1-millio...