It’s Electric

By Econ70 | 11/21/2013

A problem with solar and wind energy is that it’s intermittent. Since renewables generally have grid priority over other sources, when renewables surge other sources must rapidly decline to compensate. But since nuclear and coal plants are designed to run continuously, the only sources that can be adjusted are natural gas plants. The less gas-fired…

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Energy Sprawl

By Econ70 | 10/04/2011

While energy sources like the sun and wind are free, converting them into large quantities of electricity requires lots of lands. The math is easy. To get 1,000 megawatts of solar capacity in the Mojave desert your need 15 sq miles, an area almost as big as Manhattan. Wind energy requires more land! 1,000 megawatts…

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