Thing is, we don’t yet need storage in order to incorporate wind and solar into our grid supply. Our grids could be 20% to 30% wind and solar before we would need storage. We’re just now passing the 3% level.

Bringing a large number of EVs and PHEVs to the grid will greatly increase that 20%/30% level. Cars spend most of their lives parked. Plugged in while parked means that there would be an incredible ability to charge during supply peaks. And that means that we can install more renewables without having to store or dump peak production.

We’re building new gas plants, not to backup renewables, but to replace the dirtiest coal plants and because NG is unreasonably inexpensive right now.

I suspect a lot of our NG plant construction occurs because of the type of people who run utility companies. These ‘old mossbacks’ are used to using heat to boil water to spin turbines and are not comfortable with new-fangled stuff like wind and solar.

That will change.

Natural gas prices are almost certainly doomed to rise. We drilled way too many wells as money rushed into the endeavor. That caused a surplus which dropped prices and we are now working our way through that surplus.

Additionally, we’re starting to sell NG to other countries which are willing to pay more for our gas. That will drive up price.

Finally, it’s looking like the amount of NG we’re going to get from wells is greatly overestimated. There’s likely to be far less gas produced for the money spent to drill the hole, so the gas is going to get sold for more.