Just wishing for something doesn't make it come true. The battery technology needed is non-existent. The article says that batteries "will improve so much over the next two decades that homes won’t be dependent on the utility companies" isn't just wishful thinking. It's wishful thinking unsupported by known science. Similarly, in 1973 just as I entered college, nuclear fusion for power was also just around the corner. 40+ years later it's further away than ever.
Germany, one of the leaders in solar (even though they don't have the climate for it) is learning the hard way that just wishing for good outcomes doesn't make them magically happen. Here's [1] an article just from today that shows that they are burning more dirty coal than ever in their quest to be green.
Solar power doesn't work at night. In parts of Oregon and Washington it doesn't really work very well for about half the year, even in "daylight" (which is in quotes because it's often heavily overcast or raining here for much of that time).
Anyone who wants "unlimited" and "free" energy should get to work on figuring out how to store all that solar energy for when "the sun don't shine". Otherwise this article is about as useful as something pulled out from where "the sun don't shine"!
However, I'm not anti-solar, I'd love to see the deserts in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas dotted with solar installations. I'd love to see HVDC used to transport all that energy to where it could be put to good use. But none of that infrastructure will ever be close to "free".
Just wishing for something doesn't make it come true. The battery technology needed is non-existent. The article says that batteries "will improve so much over the next two decades that homes won’t be dependent on the utility companies" isn't just wishful thinking. It's wishful thinking unsupported by known science. Similarly, in 1973 just as I entered college, nuclear fusion for power was also just around the corner. 40+ years later it's further away than ever.
Germany, one of the leaders in solar (even though they don't have the climate for it) is learning the hard way that just wishing for good outcomes doesn't make them magically happen. Here's [1] an article just from today that shows that they are burning more dirty coal than ever in their quest to be green.
Solar power doesn't work at night. In parts of Oregon and Washington it doesn't really work very well for about half the year, even in "daylight" (which is in quotes because it's often heavily overcast or raining here for much of that time).
Anyone who wants "unlimited" and "free" energy should get to work on figuring out how to store all that solar energy for when "the sun don't shine". Otherwise this article is about as useful as something pulled out from where "the sun don't shine"!
However, I'm not anti-solar, I'd love to see the deserts in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas dotted with solar installations. I'd love to see HVDC used to transport all that energy to where it could be put to good use. But none of that infrastructure will ever be close to "free".
[1] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-21/merkel-s-taste-for-...