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In Australia meanwhile, the fossil fuel industry is fighting renewable energy innovations that are lowering power prices for consumers. American consumers face the same pressures from the fossil fuel industry, though the forces at play are far less transparent.
Disruptive power, The Age, Richard Denniss , 29 July 16 The Productivity Commission is 
criticising the Trans Pacific Partnership, the head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is criticising privatisation, and the electricity industry is worried that competition from renewables might deliver lower prices to consumers. What on earth is happening to the Neo-liberal “agenda”?
We are witnessing a watershed moment in Australia’s economic and political debate. The grand narrative of “market good-government bad” is dead. Killed by the rent seekers and vested interests that couldn’t resist overselling the benefits to the same consumers and taxpayers they were busy gouging.
The mining industry can’t help asking for taxpayers to subsidise their rail lines…….
It’s hard to maintain the argument that government spending is bad for the economy when even the Institute of Public Affairs supports taxpayer funding for dams and coal railway lines in far northern Australia…….
The PC…
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The Most Revolutionary Act 
One of the biggest issues for utility companies is how to pay for their vast infrastructure. When consumers use solar panels and produce all of their own electricity or most of it, they don’t pay for the infrastructure. The problem isn’t the renewables, it is the utility company business model. It must adapt to the changing technology.
Huzzah!
Jack
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Thanks for point this out, Jack. It’s also my understanding that the grid system of power distribution is enormously inefficient. Apparently the power companies knew it was inefficient to begin with but that it was an effective way to get customers to purchase more appliances and increase their electricity consumption. Nick Rose writes about this in Off the Grid: https://stuartjeannebramhall.com/2015/09/09/going-off-the-grid/
My friends who are renewable energy engineers tell me that distributed energy systems (which are becoming increasing popular) are far more efficient.
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Howdy Stuart!
I didn’t know that, but given the events after WW2 when roads and electric grids were set up, it isn’t surprising.
Thanks for the added information.
Huzzah!
Jack
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I think the next big thing in economics will be reinvention of solar and wind power storage of electricity as were not there yet, tell we our interruptible power will rely on fossil fuels.
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Here in New Zealand, Solar City offers a lithium battery to store energy for their PVC solar panels for $2,500. That’s the lowest price I’ve seen so far. So we have the technology – it’s just really expensive for most households.
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The title of this post makes me smile — and should they wet their pants, they might get shocked.
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LOL, JoAnn. I guess electric power companies need to be very careful about that kind of thing.
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Yeah, this post really looks fascinating. Here in Nigeria, we are far behind…even though the electricity industries are not doing so good.
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Interesting this notion of being “behind.” Many of us in the industrial world are just realizing the horrible price we are paying for advanced technology – particularly in terms of cancer, autoimmune disease, allergies, autism and other chronic illnesses. The Amish, who mostly reject technology, don’t suffer from these ailments: https://stuartjeannebramhall.com/2016/11/03/why-dont-the-amish-get-cancer-complete-health-and-happiness-the-invisible-opportunity-hidden-truths-revealed/
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