The glut exacerbates the inefficiency by forcing the utilities to rely on dirtier and less efficient sources of power to meetpeak demand rather than simply redirecting surplus power from low demand to high-demand markets.
There is far less turnover of screeners at SFO, and the contractor saves money by using part-timers (all fully trained, of course) to meetpeak periods rather than keeping full-timers waiting around for periodic surges.
About three years before the economic crisis hit, Wal-Mart began efforts to rejuvenate a tired brand and sagging stock price by quietly cutting distribution costs, cosmetically improving stores with brighter lighting and wider aisles and flexible scheduling of store workers to meetpeak shopping hours.
Alternative energy only accounts for a small percentage of energy sources, but the onset of peak oil will force society to look elsewhere to meet its energy needs.