The usual way to look at energy production is renewable vs. non-renewable. Solar is good, coal is bad. This is the wrong way to look at energy production, however. Way back in 1977 Amory Lovins explained that energy could be either hard or soft. Hard energy needed a large capital investment, was centralized, and required a distribution grid.
Thus solar power that is generated from panels on our shed roof is soft energy. Solar power generated in a giant array (there’s a picture of such a plant in today’s New York Times) and distributed by a power company like Pacific Gas and Electric, would be hard. Hard energy production tends to enrich stock holders, is vulnerable to hackers or terrorists, and any breakdowns can affect millions of users.
For some reason unknown to me, the Biden administration is opting for centralized systems. It may be easier to build, and it certainly will be more popular with the existing utilities, but a combination of tax credits and financial incentives could be used for the “soft” path.
See Ivan Penn and Clifford Krauss, "U.S. Confronts Critical Choices on Power Lines," New York Times, (June 12, 2021), pp A1, A16.
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