Thanks for such exhaustive explanation of something I am telling since I was at high school.
I am from Italy and here we have literally tons of energy in the form of sun, wind and water. I recently read that IT government is evaluating a 3-years plan for renewable resources but I am asking myself why those initiatives are often to be carried out during emergencies (when everything costs much more) and not in regular (and calm) historical moments.
I had a study experience in NL and there for example are exploiting a lot wind energy plus some hydro-turbines at the very big dike they built.