But if the free market was truly operating would we be building any wind and solar plants? When it comes down to it aren't coal plants still the most economical from a market stand-point?
only in the current environment there most of the cost of coal energy (green house gas and other pollutants emissions, environment destruction where coal is mined, etc...) is socialized
The price of a new coal plant in the US has gone up dramatically due to the increases in energy and metals.
All energy sources other than fossil fuels are the product of huge government R&D investments and huge subsidies.