Where are the cheap renewables? Where is wind and solar? Why do...

Where are the cheap renewables?

Where is wind and solar? Why do we have to turn coal back on just because Putin gives us less gas? Weren’t we told we can completely wean off fossil fuels? Weren’t we told that high-fossil fuel prices are good because that will eliminate those old technologies?

Coal and gas are following power prices upwards. Keep in mind, there is no coal shortage globally or in Europe. There is only a shortage of power plants (decommissioned) and transportation infrastructure (sold). We might be reaching the point where coal-fired generation becomes almost inelastic to prices (due to the logistical issues) and gas-fired generation might follow soon (due to the lack of fresh international supply).

Wind and solar cannot — under any circumstance — power an industrial nation because any functioning economy requires a reliable supply of energy every single second of the day, that does NOT depend on the weather, that is energy and material efficient and energy dense. Also, supply of wind and solar infrastructure is largely controlled by China.