Renewables are surpassing energy produced by coal

To The Daily Sun,

In 2015, the U.S. passed a tipping point when more green energy capacity was installed than fossil fuel capacity. In April, the U.S. reached another milestone: Renewable sources now generate more electricity in the United States than coal. Costs are dropping so fast that they could even make 90% of proposed gas power plants and many pipelines obsolete by 2035. 

Costs are plummeting so fast that Germany plans on shutting down 76 of 84 of their coal burners by 2030 and the rest by 2038. Last year, renewables overtook coal as Germany's leading energy source and now green energy accounts for 41%. In the UK, renewable sources of electricity overtook coal and gas for the first time ever. Clean energy sources amounted to 40% of UK electricity. Less than a decade ago, fossil fuels generated 80% of UK energy. It is 39% now. The 4 remaining coal plants will be shuttered by law in 2025.

With Crocodile tears, climate science deniers often use the world’s impoverished as an excuse against serious climate action. Without coal, climate activists are allegedly denying the world’s poor the energy they need for success. The annual Climatescope report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance reported an unprecedented global rise in demand for renewable energy. According to Enelgreenpower, "BNEF investigated 100 countries and found that emerging nations have overtaken the developed world in renewable installed capacity. During 2017, new carbon-neutral energy capacity, including hydro and nuclear, reached the 114 GW-mark in developing countries, almost twice what was installed in first world countries, tallied at 63 GW. It’s the “new renewables” who stole the show, as wind and solar PV alone represented a whopping 94 GW out of a total 114. Both data are an all-time record and welcome news, not only for the global climate but also for each country’s balance as the renewable boom entails a big slash to their energy bill.”

In 2012, fossil fuels accounted for 66% and renewables accounted for 14% of the electricity produced in emerging markets. In 2017, renewables produced 52% and fossil fuels, 40%.

Consider the African Development Bank’s “Desert to Power” initiative. According to IPS, “This project is expected to stretch across the Sahel region by tapping into the region’s abundant solar resource. The Initiative aims to develop and provide 10 GW of solar energy by 2025 and supply 250 million people with green electricity including in some of the world’s poorest countries. At least 90 million people will be connected to electricity for the first time, lifting them out of energy poverty.”

On smaller scales, we have such initiatives as Bangladesh’s government program that made solar panels more common and lets villagers create mini power grids which makes it easy for neighbors to access energy if needed. That is so cool!

James Veverka

Tilton