>>For PV one significant limitation would be silicon fab capacities. Fabs are expensive and are a major current limitation in uptake of SSDs. Scaling up the PV industry to that kind of capacity would be very difficult. That's if you can overcome the initial capital outlay, distribution issues etc.

I get the feeling you have special interest in this stuff? ;-)

So my lay perspective is that there was a time when the US decided it wanted to be first to put a man on the moon. Whammo. I think they still have it, it's just that the populace is so distracted and has lost a lot of its mojo. I hope they get it back- the US is a good leader of the First World.

>>If North America was a greenfield situation it would be an interesting option, but it's anything but. Entrenched, regulated utilities expecting ROI etc.

Yep. Not sure of you're into Science Fiction or Iain Banks? Against a Dark Background by Iain Banks. Economic/political scenario entirely believable as a direction things might go for us too.