@Alan Brown
Under ideal conditions, renewables (wind/solar/tides/whatever) can _just about_ replace (or slightly outproduce) carbon-emitting power generation, but it's intermittent and unreliable by comparison as well as being ~10 times more expensive.
10 times more expensive? Only in pure cash terms, when there is no attempt to make the polluter pay. How much is it worth to keep a viable planet?
Measuring relative cost/value must include the total costs to society, not just the immediate cash ones, otherwise we could say the most cost effective way to eat is to steal food from the supermarket, or eat at a restaurant and leave without paying your bill. Costs, nil!
Biting the hand that feeds IT
