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The only way that it's possible for energy-containing raw materials to be more expensive than complex, manufactured sources of energy generation, is government
by ppf 5y ago
The only way that it's possible for energy-containing raw materials to be more expensive than complex, manufactured sources of energy generation, is government interference (and the corresponding lack of in the places that the solar panels and the like are actually manufactured, as well as an abundant source of fossil fuels to power that manufacture).
- jacknews 5y agoThe last I checked, the sun was rather abundant in stored energy, and quite good at releasing some of it. It's 'simply' a case of capturing it. Many panels are made in China. Not a place really known for it's uninvolved government, from what I hear. The whole 'it's all powered by fossil fuels' argument is a bit old now, and was only really valid becuase so much of the energy mix was in fact fossil. As we switch, the argument increasingly no longer holds.
- ppf 5y agoIndeed, which is why a careful examination needs to be made of the energy and resource cycles involved. It'll be interesting if we ever switch to an energy economy fuelled entirely by PV (or similar), and seeing how the energy economics plays out. This is aside from the various minerals needed to continually replenish our new green energy sources, and what we do with the complex and poisonous wastes produced. As for your comments on China - they certainly don't have any issues allowing widespread pollution and industrial poisoning of their people and land. >The whole 'it's all powered by fossil fuels' argument is a bit old now It'll only be "old" when China reduces the amount of coal (and mostly brown coal) that it uses to manufacture all this stuff for us. They have enormous reserves, it won't happen any time soon.