thanks @keith. great info. you reminded me of why I doubted the bird strike statistics. I had read about studies projecting bird decimation were based on the figures for the older, faster turbines and did not take into account the improved technologies and practices.
I do think smaller scale more local power generation is feasible. for example there are numerous places around here and along the east coast, where smaller turbines could be used in river currents and tidal flows. these applications , as opposed to dams, are less damaging to our fisheries.
in the Midwest… wind turbines
in Nevada… solar arrays
and if we can come up with a roofing material that is durable and effective at protecting our homes AND is an efficient and durable solar collector…
It seems like the '80s was an era of corporate acquisitions. Good business analysts probably could explain what was going on in the financial markets and why everybody seemed to be buying everybody. My guess is that it had something to do with the “cost of capital” on the world market, “growth” cost agendas (cheaper to buy a company than to develop product for a target market segment or develop regulatory compliance and infrastructure to enter into a new country), and other junk that I don’t understand. We tend to look at the cars, but investors are looking at entirely different things.
I forgot to mention that solar does not require vast expanses of wilderness to generate power. There are already vast expanses of rooftops on both industrial/commercial buildings as well as privately owned homes available. The power companies do not want to have to deal with that many sources (suppliers) and having to buy all their surplus power whether they need it or not and at the current very high prices that it costs to produce.
Solar is technically a viable alternative, but a very expensive one. Even if prices come down to the point that it becomes economically viable, it still is a very undesirable business plan to most utilities. Most business, utilities and other businesses as well prefer to deal with just a handful of suppliers that they can develop a business relationship with.
The power companies do not want to have to deal with that many sources (suppliers) and having to buy all their surplus power whether they need it or not and at the current very high prices that it costs to produce.
Actually the power companies don’t want people to generate their own electricity at all - because it means they are NOT buying it from them.
Electric cars looked good when “Peak Oil” was thought to be right around the corner and the world was bracing for $250/barrel oil…But new drilling technology and recovery methods have pushed “Peak Oil” way back, and oil could easily slip back to $50-$70 a barrel, making electric and hybrid cars economically unattractive…
As man-made climate change starts to rear its ugly head and carbon emissions reduction becomes a priority, mandated electric cars become more likely…
Well Caddy ,apparently that is the only thing that will help the prices come down a bit and competition does help a fair amount,scalping is unfair and unethical,bit it does happen(greed rules)-Kevin