And solar nor wind are good for base energy production so we�re stuck with other methods unless you want to move IP packets only when it�s windy.
Or you store excess power generated on windy/sunny days for later distribution on calm/rainy days: http://www.tva.gov/sites/raccoonmt.htm
That still ignores tidal, hydro, and geothermal power, which are available 24x7. And let's not forget ethanol, which is easy to make from excess food crops and has already replaced gasoline entirely in a few countries.
Use hydrogen. One solar panel (which will last forever unless you drop something on it) can split H2O into H and O.
Sure, burn energy to store it.
Store the H for windless days or at night.
Burn energy here as well.
Feed this to a turbine for electricity and recover heat for hot water, store it in a heat sink, ect.
Burn energy.
Or feed the H into a fuel cell & strip off the electron volts.
Burn energy.
Now a home user can produce wattage to supply power for his neighbors.
Release energy.
The amount of power to be had via these hydrogen processes is huge.
Release energy.
The by-products of this are water and Oxygen.
Release energy.
The only problem is that the Oil men are in charge. They want to pipe NG to houses and have us crack NG into hydrogen. Cut the cord !
So let us use N J to let us release M J, where N is significantly greater than M. What a brilliant concept. When someone starts actively doing it, please remind me the name of the company so I can short it all the way to zero. Thanks god that the oil people are in charge. Alex P.S. The problem with ethanol is the same - the total amount of energy needed to crate useful fuel is greater than the amount of energy it generates.