CHERFUL.

Thanx for your contribution. I’d like to respond (against my own rules) even though you supplied zero support for your opinions. :-)

I’m 60 and my conclusions from my lifetime of "observation" are the complete opposite. I have also "watched the news for decades" and I have reached the complete opposite opinion. I quote these references, "A new study finds human-caused global warming is significantly increasing the rate at which hot temperature records are being broken around the world”: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171108155504.htm

Did you know that, Including April 2017, there were "388 straight months in which the global temperature has been warmer than the 20th century average”: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/imageo/2017/05/18/april-was-the-388th-consecutive-month-that-global-temperature-was-warmer-than-average/#.Wtw8l1OFPXE

CHERFUL, you say that the "greens and left wing parties in Western countries” have never wanted “to shut the grid down, immediately, in every state, if not sooner.” I can find no evidence on the WWW to back up this claim by you. If you have any, will you please supply it. Otherwise I’ll have to disregard your comments as a complete fabrication.

The uptake of rooftop PV will continue to boom regardless of amy government or party support.

The "big overpopulations in India and China" are actually using less coal than ever. I’m not sure from where you are getting your alternative ‘facts’ but it is clear from these articles that both China and India are actually transitioning quite well from fossil fuels to renewables: https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/environment-and-safety/china-india-reducing-coal-dependency-faster-expected-reports-199061/ and http://www.wri.org/blog/2017/01/china%E2%80%99s-decline-coal-consumption-drives-global-slowdown-emissions I invite you to read these links to disabuse you of your false precepts.

I can’t do anything about your beliefs about global warming, CHERFUL. However, I’m pleased that you’ll benefit from any policy decisions made with the understanding that anthropogenic global warming is a reality. :-)

GJOESQ, research is not required. Coal. Find it, remove the over burden, extract the coal, move the coal to stockpile, transport the coal to ports, load the ships and ship the coal, unload the coal, then burn the coal. Most of these jobs are local.

Solar. Import the panels etc, install, monitor and service.

Wind. Import the components, erect, monitor and service.

What do we need to research?

rehctub, your plan is perfect for destroying the health of humans and the environment. I, for one, do not support it. Any jobs created by it are not not worth the costs of coal's extraction, transportation, processing, combustion, mine rehabilitation and health issues, all of which are the direct consequences of coal mining.

Currently, these costs are hidden as externalities and not included in the cost of coal that we see bandied about by coal supporters. However, electricity consumers actually pay for them indirectly through taxes, subsidies and other government funded programs, thereby keeping hidden the true, very high cost of coal:

Here's two, well researched, publications that will give you a thorough introduction to the topic of externalities: https://www.dea.org.au/images/general/How_coal_burns_Aust._-_True_cost_of_burning_coal_04-13.pdf and https://www.atse.org.au/Documents/reports/the-hidden-costs-of-electricity.pdf

You are blindingly wrong in stating that "research is not required". Indeed, the Union of Concerned Scientists decimate your 19th century solution to 21st century realities: https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/all-about-coal/how-coal-works#.WtxehVOFPXE

This article articulates a sound policy for renewable energy: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-29/szoke-no,-coal-is-not-good-for-humanity/6656184

In answer to your question, "What do we need to research?", my answer for you is everything, because what you have proposed is not based on any research whatsoever. It's just your opinion.