OG_Blues
Guitar Geezer
Yes, energy storage capacity and the associated economics of it is definitely the key to making alternative energy sources viable and more widely used.The key to all of this isn't so much power generation but energy storage.
The point is that the market responded to the demand and the versatility and efficiency improved exponentially and I see no reason why solar and wind can't do the same given the proper stimulus to do so which of course is the demand.
How the industry gets to the point of making it financially feasible for the average consumer is the difficult part. Lots of people desire more energy independence but do not have the resources to create the actual product demand. It has to get cheaper - a chicken or the egg type problem that typically exists with new technologies. Even with tax credits, and excess electric buy back promotional programs etc, the economics still aren't quite there. If they were, more people would be jumping on it. It will come in due time - I think we all wish it were sooner.
Wind and solar are only going to be a part of the future equation. There are many other exciting technologies being developed that show promise. I don't think it is likely that the next major breakthroughs are going to come from individual inventors working in their garages. Most of the new technologies are quite complex and require sophisticated equipment to further develop and bring to a practical scale, and are being developed in large labs and research facilities, many funded by the DOE - probably so that the government can get their fingers into it right from the start.
Re: Tesla - Are you sure this information is correct, or is this speculation? They do have a limited number of stores with actual vehicles on display, but granted it is a small presence compared to other manufacturers. I'm not sure this is due to actual laws, at least not everywhere. There are many other electric vehicle manufacturers, and if you compare their prices to the entry level Tesla, they are similar, so how could Tesla be legally singled out like that for discrimination or be such a threat to the other dealers? Plus, the other brands have much larger capacity to manufacture, so I don't quite follow the logic of that choice being a fossil fuel paradigm driven situation. I can only speculate myself, but I would guess that their sales model (direct sales vs. extensive brick and mortar facilities) is driven by the reality of their limited manufacturing capability at the present time.