" It doesn't require giant corporations, government sponsorship, complex regulations, or exotic engineering skills to implement." Oh, Come on! With similar government subsidies and Mandates, Donkey wheels could deliver a similar power density. With such subsidies and mandates, donkey wheels would double, double and redouble again, and one could therefore project donkey wheels to exceed all power generation.

   Ironically enough, a donkey is 1/3 horsepower, which is 748 watts of power.  A donkey at about 250 watts is therefore is roughly equivalent to a solar panel the same size.  The donkey has the advantage over solar, in that it's dispatchable, while solar is not. 

 I wish we considered donkeys instead of Solar as a replacement for fossil fules, since the shortcomings might be more obvious to the innumerate.