We need them all. When I look at that chart I see a wind power source that literally *screams* for renewable energy storage. With a 24 hour storage, the wind would have varied from 4 GW to 2.2 GW during those days.
Our nation needs to grow up and make the tough decisions, I'm sorry if that steps on any corporate toes. We need to attack our energy crisis on three fronts all at the same time.
Front #1:
We need to replace all of our existing nuclear power plants with Thorium Cycle nuclear plants that are mass produced, like the LFTR (therefore cost competitive with renewable energy, and passively safe -- the laws of physics prevent a meltdown). After all the old nuclear plants are gone then we need to step up production of these till we are getting 30% of our energy from Thorium nuclear power plants.
Front #2:
We need an effort to build renewable anywhere and everywhere possible, with the requirement that energy storage is designed into the big picture. With the exception of Geothermal Power which needs no energy storage. We need to focus our efforts on building where we'd get the most benefit:
1. More solar in the desert southwest, less solar in New Jersey where there are more cloudy days and less powerful sun to start with.
1.a. Not that a homeowner in NJ shouldn't buy their own solar panels -- every little bit helps
2. More wind on the Texas coast, along a line that stretches from West Texas to Canada, and offshore wind on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.
Front #3:
Efficiency improvements. There is enough info to make a book out of this alone but here are some biggies:
1. Solar process heat (Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tt7RG3UR4c&feature=player_embedded ) If you doubt the power of solar.
2. Electric vehicles
3. LED Lighting
4. Improved building practices such as LEED, PNC SmartHome, and PassiveHouse
If we fight this fight with every available ounce of our energy, we will win against the evil interests of the status quo: Coal, Oil, Natural Gas.
PS, a note about Solar process heat: Restaurants need hot water to sanitize their dishes and utensils, why hot get it from solar. Big food companies like soup makers or beverage packagers need to wash the cans or bottles with near-boiling water, why not get that heat from solar.