Quote:I don't think we disagree with each other at all on this. I'm always in favor of competition especially when it comes to tech. I think it always benefits the consumer and society in the long run. People should have the choice to get whatever they want but I also don't see a problem with incentivising the adoption of more efficient or safer technologies.  

 

My initial post though was about government having a roll in advancing tech that is not immediately profitable. I think there is till a place for that.

 

I agree with you on this as well.  However, you can't just make it a "global" thing.  One of the primary responsibilities of the government is the military.  That's where it should start.  I worked for a company for a while that dealt with alternative energy specifically for the military that can be crossed over to every day people.  The problem is, it's not efficient or cost effective... at this point.  At that company we also produced products that are used by other parts of the government all of the time (FEMA).

 

The thing is, people don't really understand how solar, hydrodynamic, wind, etc. power generation works.  The energy produced has to be stored and/or converted.  Much of the time in a very minimal system that energy is stored in batteries.  Now think about the chemicals involved in a simple lead/acid battery like the one in your car.  They don't last forever, and disposal of them isn't as easy as throwing it in the trash.  In higher end systems lithium batteries are used.  Throw those in a landfill and you're polluting just as much if not worse than if you used other means.

 

I laugh at these people that buy these "hybrid" cars thinking that they are doing something good for the environment and saving a bunch of money on gas.  Once those batteries go, they will pay through-the-nose for a new set of batteries, and they are lithium batteries.  Guess where those old batteries go?  Back into the environment that they supposedly are trying to save.

 

The bottom line is, the "clean energy" mandates forced through by government do really nothing for the environment.

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