We're almost there with PV Solar price/performance.

[Jester]

Even if we manage to push solar and wind down to extraordinarily low prices, I suspect we'll still need a backbone of more conventional power sources, because of intermittent generation. If both solar and wind are basically offline at the same time, then either we need a grid so colossal and efficient that the load can be shifted from somewhere else (which requires substantial overbuilding, since everywhere has to have the spare capacity to support everywhere else), or we have to switch on more conventional power plants. Either way it means slack capacity much of the time, which is expensive.

Or, I guess, we can just have the power go out every once in awhile. But that wouldn't be a good idea. Or gigantic batteries, but that's *really* expensive.

-Jester