Solar Energy Milestone: Thoughts?

Post Reply New Topic

In 2021, the United States reached a milestone where solar and wind energy together surpassed coal in terms of electricity generation for the first time ever. This highlights the significant shift towards renewable energy sources like solar PV, signaling a major transformation in the energy landscape.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), coal-fired power plants are expected to generate 599 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2024, while solar and wind will generate 688 billion kWh. This means that coal will generate less electricity than the combined generation from solar and wind for the first time on record. The EIA predicts a 38% increase in solar electricity generation in 2024, while wind energy will grow by 6.7%.

What are your thoughts on this milestone, and how do you see the future of solar energy and PV technology evolving in the coming years?

It looks good, but there seems to be a bit of a question mark about whether or not solar panels are as green as they're often said to be, so it's hard for me to judge. I wish they'd put more work into those solar water heating things that sit on the user's roof. I suspect they have a better potential to cut electricity costs for individuals. If I remember right, solar panels in the UK have been something of a rich man's game, and there was even a levy charged to users when the electricity companies started going over to green power.

Not that I'm against green energy. Coal was a bad mistake.

Solar Thermal is also an option:

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/sol ... plants.php

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivanpah ... r_Facility