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Where renewable electricity is concerned, how costly is “too costly”?

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  • Pickard, William F.

Abstract

Present day electricity is a bargain. It frees mankind from a host of dirty, debilitating occupations—epitomized by the now endangered occupation of legger. Correctly applied, electricity would make a most excellent paramount energy carrier for a post-carbon world. It is, however, only an energy carrier and not a source of energy, the preeminent source for its generation being bargain-priced fossil carbon. But when, in less than a century, that is gone, electricity is a good bet to cost markedly more while being still a bargain. This paper once again shows that mankind's energy needs can be met by (i) renewable solar generation of electricity buffered by (ii) massive electricity storage and (iii) a robust distribution grid. The time available for making this switch from fossil carbon to solar is at best a century and possibly as little as fifty years.

Suggested Citation

  • Pickard, William F., 2012. "Where renewable electricity is concerned, how costly is “too costly”?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 346-354.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:49:y:2012:i:c:p:346-354
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2012.06.036
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    Cited by:

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    3. Han, Charles C., 2014. "Demarketing fear: Bring the nuclear issue back to rational discourse," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 183-192.
    4. Pickard, William F., 2013. "Transporting the terajoules: Efficient energy distribution in a post-carbon world," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 51-61.

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