This is such a wtf.
If wind power was lower in cost, why wouldn't everyone use it over diesel?
It's always a huge warning sign to me.
A project, that looks exciting and new, also powered by renewables.
The meme of funny stories about economics professor wears a bit thin really. Its a harder degree than many people who create these stories have.
If these $20 bills pay off then do it for real not on top of another risky project of picking up a $50 bill for $45
By that reasoning, it makes no sense to install wind power anywhere, because surely in most other cases there were existing power plants, too.
They are stupid people who study at university who reduce brain capacity.
Maybe I'm stupid too but, if wind power worked there then that can be the project, no need to add the agriculture on top of it.Why the hell make it harder and use it on only a untested (For viability) growing machine that might make peoples lives better?
The difference is installing wind power for general purpose use, vs installing it specifically for a single project.
Installing some new power source specially for one project is a red flag, exactly like he says. If it was a good idea it would be installed for general use.
He's saying that installing some new unproven power source at the same time that you are installing some new unproven hydroponics system is a red flag.
You don't do two risky things at the same time when you don't have to.
Much like how solar is super useful on bright hot summer days in the south... It gives the most power when you want the AC on the most
A better example 'might' be plants can take random times of darkness in their stride so random blackouts don't matter. But given the high cost of the setup I doubt you'd want to screw with efficiency.
But probably isn't the word you want when your whole town is dependent on that power source. So you start small, fix the problems that will arise, gain a knowledge base, and THEN move on to bigger things.
Both of these things have changed and large amounts of money have subsequently been invested in renewable energy sources, making them cheaper (mass-produced) and more reliable (better technology).
If you were to re-build the town today, wind farms and battery storage may well be the most economic choice, but to switch to wind, it not only has to be cheaper (and more environmentally friendly) but also so much cheaper that the initial investment costs are returned in a reasonably timeframe.