The question is, what are people willing to do without?
Are they willing to do without electricity in their homes?
Are they willing to give up their cars?
Personally, I do not think that is the alternative. There are many ways to produce electricity without carbon producing methods. My brother is, at the moment, considering getting a system that would take his home completely off the grid. This is in northern lower Michigan. Cost is prohibitive though but tax incentives could be used to encourage such systems instead of subsidizing carbon emitting systems.
It's a matter of priorities.