&gt;Natural gas will stick around until utility scale batteries ramp up, to where peaking plants are too expensive compared to utility scale batteries.<p>There&#x27;s another possibility which is that there will be an overbuild of solar and wind caused by a clean energy boom (ZIRP already did this to oil; where is that ROI-hungry risk capital going to look for returns next?).<p>The market will then figure out ways of putting the large irregular surpluses of electricity to use. For example, generating fuel as mentioned below, or running adjustable output aluminum smelting plants.<p>I think the opportunities opened up by periodic bouts of practically free electricity which have <i>already</i> started to occur have been <i>vastly</i> understated. People just look at the other side of the equation - probably because oil&#x2F;utility companies have tried to keep us fixated upon it.<p>I think the most optimistic part of all of this, though, is the implications for democracy and peace. When the age of oil finally expires (and it is nearing a close) there won&#x27;t be any way to put a chokehold on supplies of energy with raw military power.<p>This is probably the only thing, in fact, that could actually lead to lasting peace in the middle east, which has been plagued by the resource curse for a century or so.