Disruption of the Electric Utility

This is all good news for sure, but why the negativity about utility execs? I understand that the anti-utility quote comes from the NY Times, so it makes sense knowing the paper's growing sensationalism and lack of quality reporting in some corners (I'm still a reader!). Let's not forget that the only reason our lights turn on at the flip of a switch is because we derive the bulk of our electric generation from fossil fuel power plants, most of which are running much cleaner today than in years past. Let's all cheer for renewables but keep a positive view of ever more efficient and environmentally responsible power plant execs.

The swings in percentages are intriguing, but I wonder how they fit into the broader picture. The 7000 MWatts of photovoltaic energy produced is better understood compared to total energy production. The percentage may be minuscule, although that does not relegate the gains to meaninglessness. It is an interesting time in the energy game.

History proves that some of the biggest fortunes go to investors who see opportunities before others. While alternative energy may make some people very rich, there’s an even better solution for investors and consumers: methods to OBVIATE the need for energy, not SUPPLY it. Examples: ? I modified my clothes dryer so it didn’t need propane or electricity to dry clothes. ? I modified my home so I was warmer than ever during a long Michigan winter in which I never turned my furnace on. I found some methods that work well and have other ideas I’ll test this winter. I haven’t commercialized any of these because I have bigger fish to fry, but investors enamored with alternative energy have better reasons to fall in love with my solutions. It would be easy to think that I am full of hot air and am the energy source. :-) Kidding aside, when my girlfriend met me and heard me matter-of-factly mention some of my inventions, she later admitted she thought I was full of hot air, assuming no one could do all or even one of those things. Parenthetically, she would be an ideal person to screen inventions for manufacturers looking for new ideas that consumers would quickly understand because, like many folks, she has difficulty conceptualizing ideas sketched on paper, but show her a working model and she quickly “gets” it. Seeing is believing. Investors can see some of my ideas today; the rest of you will have to wait, but when you see the figurative bigger fish I’m frying, you’ll be glad I put the aforementioned ideas on the back burner.

I am finding the biggest blocker to Solar is ignorance, either contrived or real. I really try to understand the arguments but none of them seem to stand... 1. You take up valuable farm land Nope, only land that is not fit for cropping. Livestock can still feed around the panels with very little footprint. 2. It's no use at night.. Genius, of course it isn't but that is akin to saying a hybrid car is useless, if we can reduce the volumes of fossil fuels we are consuming, they will last longer and we will have time to find alternatives and/or innovate storage tech. 3. They are ugly... Hide them behind hedgerows, build them in isolated areas where they are not overlooked.. They cannot possibly be uglier than power stations and cooling towers! 4. Classic Oil lobby argument.. The Governments are spending way too much promoting a tech with no future... That is right, if the sun explodes or if we are stupid enough to actually have a nuclear war or if someone invents cold fusion (again!) then this tech will become obsolete but the short termism of carrying on as we are just to make money is an afront to our future generations. There are many more but you get my gist... Recently an actor/comedian Gryff Rhys Jones fought against a solar farm that would have been close to him in Suffolk. It was a real blow personally as I have always felt he was a well educated individual who I would have expected to be in favour of renewables especially solar. Nope.. He cited most of the ignorant and untrue comments above, especially that it was taking up valuable crop producing farmland. Fundamentally, this is a culture change and I know it will take time but why does it have to be so difficult. In the UK we are still considered niche and the media are even reporting on proposed solar farms in my county/region!! Often I see " A planned 36 acre 5MW solar farm has recieved auth in xxxx" and it is pitched so negatively it makes me wonder at their agendas. I have still never faced a legitimate argument to this technology. Bottom line, I love my children so much that if I do not leave them a potentially ecosystem (yes people we need a viable one to live) saving solution, I will have failed them.. All the love, education, patience and compassion will not protect them from extremes of environment, air pollution and

Solar power getting more reasonablely priced.