aquaculture

Alternative Energy Storage Is an Investment Tsunami

Based on your analysis, it seems clear that utilities (facing increasing licensing problems for new coal plants) have no other option but to invest heavily in new renewable energy projects, combined with pumped hydro storage/compressed air and new transmission capacity.
The U.S. has enough geothermal, solar, wind, water and potential gravity to supply all its needs with a reliability of 100%.
An underestimated benefit of solar panels for utilities is that they reduce peak load and the need for new generating capacity.
The latest direct-drive (less maintenance) windturbines produce electricity more cost-effective then a coal-fired powerplant.
Invest in publicly listed solar PV companies, geothermal, windturbine manufacturers, cement and concrete, water/air pumps and transmission line manufacturers and related services.

Why smooth such phases in a larger system (the grid as a whole) which is about to crumble for entirely different reasons?

Battery technology is capital intensive and risky.
The only renewable battery technology is zinc-air because zinc-oxide can be recycled into zinc in solar ovens.