2014 was hotter than 1998. 2015 data in yet?

But will it?Where's your evidence that it will? It's what I've been asking about for most of this thread and asked about for a good portion of the thread on fusion.Do you know how many serious replies I got? How many attempts to present the math? How many folks stepped up to demonstrate the real-world feasibility of renewables to replace fossil fuels?Exactly zero.Maybe you care to change that? Or maybe you just care to bitch and proselytize?

Exactly what is irrational about fearing that we might continue as we are right now?I for one think that (for now) nuclear is absolutely essential. But there is no reason to make it the only solution.

For me, an irrational fear is one that is not based known mechanisms. I guess we just differ on what is and isn't irrational. Indeed, it is. At times, it is hard to separate the movement to replace fossil fuels from the Green movement which fights to stop nuclear power. It seems to be a case of cutting off the nose to spite the face. France's production as a percentage of total power output is well above the US. About 75% of France's electrical power comes from nuclear."In 2004, fission energy made up the largest share of France's energy consumption at 39%. Looking purely at electricity, though, 407 TWh (75%) out of the country's total production of 541 TWh of electricity was from fission-electric power stations, the highest percentage in the world."
Nuclear power in France - WikipediaI see no reason why this wouldn't scale with population.

A fear is irrational if the things feared are unlikely.We know the mechanisms that create killer clowns. Yet we also recognize a fear of clowns to be irrational. Like I said, the problem with percentages and all...Whether it's scalable or not I don't know. I also don't know if we'd just find somewhere else to burn all the coal if we stopped sticking it in power plants. History tells me we probably would...

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Do you know how many serious replies I got? How many attempts to present the math? How many folks stepped up to demonstrate the real-world feasibility of renewables to replace fossil fuels?

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Exactly zero.

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I linked to a Stanford study of just such a plan offered in New York. (it didn't require automobiles to be electric though)The technology is there.Common sense suggests that solar can be scaled above what is the present deployment.This is an easy quantification and it isn't "quantum physics" lol.

One of the problems I find with talking about "scalability" is that we are comparing a ~10 year old industry (since solar became sufficiently cost effective) to a ~200 year old industry. A better comparison is with coal and oil in their first 10 years of use, and whether solar can provide that level of service. It can and more.Enjoy

If you're talking about the report I think you're talking about, then you still haven't produced anything.Where's the numbers? Where's the data?How about you try again?Give us the link. Describe what it is. Quote some relevant portions. Show how they support your position.

When I run the numbers without state support it is still worth my investment. But I look at the cost as an investment where the return is a dividend I can spend -- it's part of my retirement "portfolio" to provide a steady income from my investments, and I am getting a higher rate of return from solar than from other investments (up to 6% in today's market for stable less risky investments). That sounds like a large investment. We ran the numbers for my Dad's all electric house in Woods Hole MA, where the winter bills were over $1,000.00 and the installation there was $30,000.00 and it still came out ahead. That installation was huge. (I have details if you are interested).Again, I "borrowed" from my retirement funds to create a steady income (converting all my retirement investments from growth to income now that I am retired). What's your interest rate? What do the installation companies offer there? Another option is DYI by starting small and adding to the system over time. I started with a small $35 panel that I use to power a 12 vdc bilge pump in my sump -- we have a high water table and a full basement, the sump is running constantly, so doing this paid for itself rather quickly. I keep the old AC pump as backup.I also replaced all light bulbs with LEDs. My gas and electric bills were in the low end of neighborhood use (combined utility company periodically issues reports of how you compare), so my usage was down.If nothing else, costs are coming down, so keep an eye on it.Enjoy

My issue is with people who just say, "It's scalable," without demonstrating that it is. I accept that solar could be a significant contributor to NYC's energy needs/usage but I can't help but think it's being oversold.

But are they unlikely? Let me present you once again with a question that a wise man once asked: If you don't know, if you don't have exact figures, then how can you imply that we should take no action?C'mon, let's see your precise data, let's see your unquestionably correct climate models. Good question. Produce the numbers and the data.Edited by Dr Adequate, : No reason given.

Ringo writes: I guess I must be ignorant. What the hell is "scalable"?
The quick hipshot answer is easy: Just make more panels.Maybe the problematic word should be "storage"???

Which is why I asked about Manhattan. How do you scale up from six panels on one hippy-dippy house to x panels in a city of ten million? And how big would the battery be to prepare for a rainy day?

Yes. Where have I either said or implied that we should "take no action"? You mean do the research for someone else's argument?No thanks.

SOLARCITY CREATES $160 MILLION FINANCING FACILITY FOR RESIDENTIAL SOLAR PROJECTS

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... The financing allows SolarCity to recycle capital to continue growth and will make it possible for SolarCity to continue offering power generated by solar energy systems to customers for less than they pay for utility bills at the time the customer contracts are signed.

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Something to look into?enjoy

Where's the numbers? Where's the data? In your posts. If you did not mean to imply that, do please tell us what action you think should be taken. No, for yours.