GETonline

I wanted to mention a website (GETonline) that lets people set climate goals and energy use parameters and the program calculates the best (minimal cost to the economy) way to meet the goals, if possible, by phasing in and out certain sources of energy (oil, solar, nuclear, ...) at different times over a century. Of course it is far simpler than reality, but I think it is a great way to present a feel for the dynamics of what is a very complex system.

From playing with it a general pattern seems to be, if there is no energy policy then coal use will predominate in the future (it is cheap and plentiful); if there is a non-trivial energy policy, solar is likely to predominate in the future.