[rlpb]

> Sure, but those same free markets will happily see those expensive producers go out of business.

No, because remember you are only able to meet 10% of market demand. The expensive producers will still get 90% of the business, and the market price for their product will remain basically the same. This is what we observe in the electricity markets today: the price to us is the cost of the most expensive product. The cheaper producers who cannot meet the full market demand still get to sell at the cost of the most expensive product.

[hvb2]

> The cheaper producers who cannot meet the full market demand still get to sell at the cost of the most expensive product.

Which would mean it's super lucrative and your same laws of economics will tell you that that means they'll be building like crazy.

My while point was that as soon as you get to a day where no gas is needed you've lost the ability to react quickly because no supplier will just leave a gas plant around just for that

[rlpb]

The markets accomodate that though. Market participants buy energy futures because they do need guaranteed future energy. Solar and wind producers cannot sell such futures (or else they can but will be forced to buy from gas plants to fulfil them when they can't). So in practice, wholesale buyers continue to buy a mix.