Renewable Energy

[PoliticalNightmare]

The question here is, why aren't we using renewable energy in the here and now; it makes no sense. For instance, as much as we all despise capitalism over here, surely it would be in the interests of the entrepeneur to save energy costs? These factories could be covered from head to bottom in solar panels, if not in western countries then in hot climates like India. Surely it would be in the interests of the capitalists to sell some shares or something in order to invest in solar panels, wind turbines, etc. and save himself huge costs every year in oil? So my question is, why in this day and age aren't we looking into technology that could potentially save both back breaking labour and costs for capitalist? It requires maintainance to keep up, sure but otherwise, surely the benefits would outweigh the cons, no?

[FreeFocus]

Oil is lucrative and oil interests are entrenched in the world market.

Moreover, renewable energy democratizes, if you will, energy sources. Once solar panels are made, only upkeep/maintenance is needed. You cut out the supplier aspect; if I put solar panels on my house and have my own generator, I don't have to pay some company a shit ton of money every month for electricity.

There's not as much long-term money to make in renewable energy, so most capitalists don't support it.

[PoliticalNightmare]

Actually, I am talking more about capitalists utilising renewable energy resources to cover the energy costs of the means of production (and save themselves money); not so much household renewable energy.

[FreeFocus]

Do you think solar energy technology is considered reliable enough for them to do so at this point?

[PoliticalNightmare]

Do you think solar energy technology is considered reliable enough for them to do so at this point?

Well, its just the fact it hasn't even been tried not even on a small scale (just try one or two panels/turbines/whatever) on a small section of a plant then build it up. I mean, its quite clear they work on profit so why not try and save huge costs on electricity every year?

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

The investment required to make renewable energy profitable is too much to stomach it seems - imagine the potential money to be made from supplying most of Europe with electricity, which would get more valuable as coal and oil get increasingly scarce - but that would require construction of a rather large plant in the Sahara. It's technically feasible, but who's going to provide the investment and the land?

[PoliticalNightmare]

The investment required to make renewable energy profitable is too much to stomach it seems - imagine the potential money to be made from supplying most of Europe with electricity, which would get more valuable as coal and oil get increasingly scarce - but that would require construction of a rather large plant in the Sahara. It's technically feasible, but who's going to provide the investment and the land?

Well that's why I asked why the capitalist who owns the business doesn't sell some shares (this how businesses are expanded in the first place - by selling shares to market traders who then either receive dividends or sell their shares once they are worth more money and in so doing give growth to the business) so he can cover his own factory in solar pannels rather than try and supply citizens with energy that can be easily democratised: he would save himself costs surely rather than paying for electricity to be delivered to the factory.

There isn't a huge supply of solar pannels in the market, I believe but there is enough to cover one factory before the idea catches on (and increases the demand for solar pannels). I just don't understand why capitalists haven't already tried to harness this potentially huge power yet. I don't think that the capitalist would try and sell solar pannels to households (not yet anyway); I *do*, however, believe that they would try to enhance the means of production to save costs, so why haven't they?

[Luisrah]

The answer is pretty simple. Oil is lucrative.

I live in an island, and this island could be autosufficient if hidroelectric generators were built to use the energy of the waves.

But the guys who control most of the electric company here also control the oil company around. I think you can make the rest of the logic yourself.

This is the problem. They control almost everything, and so many things go their way (no wonder)

And about solar power not being efficient enough, it's just because there's not much investment. If class interests weren't taken into account, a lot more resources would be sent into improving solar power generators.
Look how in no time humanity put a man in space.

Humanity COULD, right now, live almost only off renewable energies, or atleast in the very near future, if only it was the interests of the majority that would be taken into account.

Imagine. No more pollution. You'd pay thousands less worth of electricity. Even cars would be running on electricity, and maybe even autossufficient if they used solar power.
Heck, cars could even disappear and there would be a reinforce of public transports. And if these public transports used electricity... Imagine how you could use all the money you would save in other things!

And this is just ONE of the things that a worldwide revolution could bring!

[pranabjyoti]

Why? At present, renewables are costlier than conventionals. But, that can be altered by research and development. But, the real tragedy is the our world leaders aren't much interested in the development of research of development of renewable energy.