You are very idealistic sierra!
I agree that a global shift away from fossil fuels is required in the future but you are fudging facts and seem like you have no idea how energy markets operate. you want the transition to be fast as possible without having any understanding how anything works, at all.
1) Solar power is not cheaper than coal. Nor is it as reliable. This is fact. Maybe in 20 years it will come on par - 40 when you take away the crazy subsides.
2) The "Smart money" is not going into renewable energy. as you said "those foolish enough to resist change loose money". I'm sure you've read about Germany's energy revolution.The Germans have been too ambitious and are loosing money. Germany is rolling out a 1 trillion euro plan to use 80% renewable energy by 2050. Lets look at some of the economic effects of the rollout.
Average electricity prices for companies have jumped 60%* over the past five years because of costs passed along as part of government subsidies of renewable energy producers. Prices are now more than double those in the U.S.
6.9M Germans now live in "energy poverty" where they spend 10% of their annual income on electricity*.
For solar alone, Germany has committed to pay subsidies of more than €100bn over the next 20 years, even though it contributes only 0.7 per cent of primary energy consumption*. These solar panels’ net effect for the climate will be to delay global warming by a mere 37 hours by the end of the century, according to a report cited in Der Spiegel.
The industrial sector, in which Germany has historically dominated, is now suffering. German industrial costs have risen 60 per cent since 2007*, compared to increases of about 10 per cent in the US and China. This makes Germany an ever less attractive place for industry. German chemical giant BASF has already said it will make most if its future investments outside of Europe.
Green energy cannot meet Germany’s need for reliable electricity. That is why Germany still needs copious amounts of fossil fuels; German CO2-emissions have risen since the nuclear power phase-out of 2011, despite the incredible subsidies for renewables.
Furthermore the energy revolution is widening the income gap in Germany. The poor are paying ridiculous electricity bills to subsidize the rich who can afford solar panels.
Good luck to SA evolving a stand along renewable system! The Engineering masterminds cant do it in a country just under 3x smaller than the state of SA!
Some advice, perhaps you should post less & read more.
*
https://www.ft.com/content/9d6ba56a-a633-11e3-8a2a-00144feab7de
*
http://www.wsj.com/articles/germanys-expensive-gamble-on-renewable-energy-1409106602
