The Problem With Intermittent Energy? Americans Like Dependable, Continuous Energy -- July 26, 2015

This is a great article on batteries.

Most readers are, no doubt, very familiar with the topic. However, the real importance of the article relates to keeping up with "politically correct" language in talking about energy.

We use to call wind energy and solar energy, "renewable energy." Which, of course, is ludicrous -- neither wind nor solar is "renewable." It's "simply there."

But now, GE is changing the category of wind energy and solar energy from "renewable energy" to something new: "intermittent energy."

That's right. "Intermittent energy." I can't make this stuff up. The problem with "intermittent energy," is that Americans like dependable, continuous energy. If Americans wanted intermittent energy they would move to Bangladesh, India, Kenya, or the Sudan (southern or northern, it wouldn't matter). Even North Korea for that matter.

If truth be known, the best category for solar energy and wind energy would be "redundant energy." Minnesotans are finding that out, "in spades," as they say.

Other category names for solar energy and wind energy:

• nuisance energy
• expensive energy
• eyesore energy
• Algore energy (my personal favorite) 
• scam energy
• boondoggle energy
• DC energy (not "direct current," but as in "Washington, DC")
• slicers and dicers (wind turbines)
• KFC fryers (solar)
• tortoise fryers (solar)

For the archives: write down your current electric rate bill on a piece of paper; place that note in an envelope, seal it, and write on the envelope: "Don't Open Until 2030." Compare the number you wrote down today with the new number in 2030 when you open the envelope. It will all be relative, of course. By then, the minimum wage will be $30/hour.

***************************

By The Way

This gives me an opportunity to opine on batteries from a different perspective.  I have more than a little bit of first-hand knowledge and/or interest in the subject. My son-in-law worked in management/research for a battery "start-up" company after his MBA, working in Boston, just down the street from A123. Readers know the story of A123 -- now owned by a Chinese company after going broke. At least I think they won't broke; if not, "pert near."

Which reminds me of Solyndra. Wow, remember those days? Stories coming fast and furious; bankruptcies, scams, boondoggles, federal money, for all that "intermittent energy." But I digress.

As long ago as ten years ago, maybe 20 years ago, Steve Jobs was one of the first, if not the first to talk often and openly and publicly about the need for better battery technology. My son-in-law, when at that start-up in Boston, told me where the research was headed (recently there was a story suggesting there might have been a "breakthrough" of sorts based on that research). While there -- let's call him Bill, to keep this simple; that's not his real name -- anyway, while Bill was working for that start-up company he visited many, many research labs around the world, including university labs, US military R &D, and commercial labs to include well-known companies working on batteries. The two biggest names with the most money being spent on battery technology, it appeared, based on Bill's comments, were Toyota and Apple. They were interested in his technology, but like the Shark Tank, wanted too much of his company in exchange for too few dollars.

Companies have been working on battery technology for twenty or thirty years. One begins to wonder.

There's a law in computer chips called Moore's Law, stated in 1965: the number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year since the integrated circuit was invented.

But that's not happening with batteries. One wonders if the laws of physics precludes dramatic shifts in battery breakthroughs. One starts with the periodic table and there are only so many combinations of anions and cations.

Be that as it may, that's one of the reasons I am convinced the Apple Watch is important for Apple. It forces the engineers to get better and better with battery technology.