On 30/04/2019 13:49, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Tim Streater wrote:
In article , Clive Page
wrote:

Well it's only worth-while because of the very generous subsidy for
those of us who got in early ...

Meaning that it was never really worthwhile. Subsidies are always a bad
idea as they hide the true cost of something.

Thus spake a true Tory. Except where that subsidy applies to him, of
course.

Even true tory's can understand basic economics... subsidy can be
worthwhile when it promotes a behaviour that contributes to a common
good. Much like taxation can be be use to fold the costs of
externalities back into any practice where they are currently avoided.
That forces the true cost of an activity back onto those responsible for
it, and restores more realistic market forces.

Those that promote subsidy of renewable energy generation will argue
that its an industry that is new and hence needs support to reach
maturity (an argument wearing thin IMHO), and that there is a common
good being achieved from the production of low carbon energy.

There are major flaws in the argument that stem from the fact that we
currently have no practical use for intermittent energy sources. Hence
the delivery of it must be forced to become a continuous. Either the
producer of the energy must provide their own storage, or they rely on
existing flexible generation capacity elsewhere in the grid to make up
the shortfalls. Currently a massive externality the producer is not
having to meet. To add insult to injury, most of that flexible
generation capacity will be gas powered. So currently, by having grid
connected solar, you just lock in a requirement for gas generation which
seems to go against much of its whole stated purpose.



--
Cheers,

John.

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