As the Grauniad article says - "Wind speeds have been low across northern Europe for most of the year." As good as wind power is, it isn't reliable enough - no matter how much of a cheerleader people are for it. Grid scale energy storage is a superb idea, but I don't think the amount of grid scale storage needed to be a wholly reliable nationwide energy supply has been quantified - as-in, just how many acres of battery storage would be needed and at what cost, or how many domestic battery banks are needed in each street and at what cost per household ? Nuclear energy is a (relatively) reliable energy source, but so many people shun it and the costs involved. Solar is a great energy provider.... but only when the sun is shining. People have lots of good ideas and suggestions about: 'The answer is....... <insert favoured energy supply/way forward here>', but all too often the real world economics of it - or more importantly the human perception of it and the need to change established habits mean take up is limted.
Emerging technolgies might prove the answer, but they better hurry up and transition from 'emerging' and come out fully fledged into the market.
I'd love to hear some reasoned solutions to the way forward, including how you change human nature and human habits, and how it'll be funded, and how it'll work with an ever expanding global economy and rampant consumerism on a more or less global scale. Any takers ?
