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[quote=Anonymous]To get rid of solar and wind grid power plants the US would have to build 200 1 GW fossil fuel or nuclear plants to maintain current levels of electricity generation. This is just for grid power solar and wind. The removal of residential solar would require another 50 1 GW plants.

All these new fossil fuel and nuclear plants would have to be built very quickly just to replace existing power. The demand for electricity is projected to growth at 3% a year compounded annually. This would require an addition to the 530 1 GW fossil fuel or nuclear plants over ten years.

Removing solar and wind will require 78 1 GW fossil fuel and or nuclear plants to be built each year starting next year. The US built 11 0.5 GW natural gas power plants in 2023 that generate 5.6 GW. No coal or nuclear plants were built. You will have to build out the natural gas infrastructure and increase demand for natural gas will increase prices a lot. Natural gas is already one of the most expensive sources for generating electricity. This would dramatically increase electricity cost.

The US does not have the capability to build that many plants and the infrastructure needs. It takes 2-7 years to build a natural gas power plants, 9-18 months for a solar array, 1-2 year on shore wind, 2-4 off shore wind and 6-8 years nuclear. These are just construction times for 1 GW plant. Does not include permitting, plans, etc.

Now how long will Trump and republicans stay in power? Once they are out and market forces are allowed to act freely this insanity will stop. You will have a lot of stranded assets.

This does not include grid battery storage. I am assuming that is off the table also? Grid level battery storage was 26 GW in 2024 with an additional 20 GW being added in 2025. These systems capture the surplus electricity generated by solar, wind, fossil fuels(mostly coal) and nuclear. It is estimated 10% of the US power generation is unused or about 100 GW. [/quote]

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