[microdrum]

Same reason internet bandwidth if more abundant and cheaper than ever, but your Comcast bill seems to actually only go up.

Local rooftop solar, with no reliance on utility monopolies, is the most important thing in the global energy picture, and I'm afraid it isn't even close. And I'm pro nuclear. But it's past time to recognize that it's the distribution monopolists that are the problem. Solar and batteries free you from that.

[dwighttk]

That is what 5 year olds around you understand?

[microdrum]

Yes, I violated eli5 rules. Sorry

[jdauriemma]

Let’s stipulate that I don’t know why broadband bills are getting more expensive, if you don’t mind.

[microdrum]

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/05/ajit-...

The phenomenon is that consumer prices for broadband go up, even as the wholesale cost of bandwidth (what Comcast is reselling to you) goes down. The cause of this is a mix of two things:

1. Cable companies have regional monopolies. Without a choice, they can raise prices on consumers without losing customers

2. Cable companies face ever increasing 'infrastructural' costs, such as environmental review, trenching, construction, permitting, easements, etc... These costs are well established as going up in excess of inflation (part of why we can't build new infrastructure anymore) and therefore even while the product itself (internet access) gets cheaper, the 'last mile' of distribution keeps getting more expensive.

[jdauriemma]

Forgive me but I’m not understanding the example. Would you mind explaining why this comparison is valid for renewables but not fossil fuels?