Just hit a global tipping ·

real_aurgathor · 2025-07-23T01:32:46+00:00

Climate change related doom and gloom aside, booming solar, wind and other green energy generation hit a global tipping point for capacity added and for price. Last year, 74% of the growth in electricity generated worldwide was from wind, solar and other green sources, according to the U.N.’s multiagency report, called Seizing the Moment of Opportunity. It found that 92.5% of all new electricity capacity added to the grid worldwide in that time period came from renewables. The three cheapest electricity sources globally last year were onshore wind, solar panels and new hydropower, according to an energy cost report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Solar power now is 41% cheaper and wind power is 53% cheaper globally than the lowest-cost fossil fuel, the reports said. AP piece: https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-solar-wind-power-fossil-fuels-6aca4846e594ea8405f91edda39a03ad That 92.5% for new capacity is truly an astonishing number!! 😲 Although it shall be noted that in spite of its decreasing share, fossil fuels still continue to dominate energy generation. UN report: https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/un-energy-transition-report_2025.pdf Some quotes from the above report: At the national level, solar and wind power became cost-competitive with fossil fuels without financial support in many countries between 2010 and 2022. By 2022, most major markets had achieved cost parity, with most of the newly commissioned projects delivering electricity at lower costs than fossil fuel-based alternatives When new power capacity is under consideration today, solar PV and onshore wind not only offer the cheapest option, but also the fastest. On average, project lead times (planning, development, and construction) for utility-scale solar PV and onshore wind take one to three years, whereas coal- and gas-fired power plants can take up to five years or more, and 10–15 years for nuclear power plants. In particular, solar power is surging worldwide, with 99 countries doubling the amount of electricity generation from solar energy between 2020 and 2024.

real_aurgathor

MacLeech It seemed quick to develop because it was built on the bodies of old solar plants on the same properties so many of the studies, approvals, and zoning changes usually needed were already done.

Good point – that may have helped; however, according to the other link I posted, the EIS of solar plants are still faster than average, most likely because for the most part the environmental impact is limited to the area they are located once they are in operation. On the other hand, hydros can have impact both upstream and downstream, etc., and construction usually takes a lot more time.

Splitpair

OzarkEdge As for the Grain Belt Express project, that grid expansion will connect new wind farm power generation locations to markets that need it and will transport power from any and all sources… what a power grid does.

If it is that valuable then it should have no problems getting private investor financing.

OzarkEdge

Splitpair If it is that valuable then it should have no problems getting private investor financing.

True… how the project is financed is not the real issue here unless you are already having trouble paying your electric bill.

OzarkEdge

Splitpair If that’s the case one needs to reduce usage.

True again… reduce, reuse, recycle are conservative principles I live by… but using less of something does not make it more affordable.

OzarkEdge

Splitpair or increase their income.

I think you’ve bottomed out there and will need a tow to get free of that.

Splitpair

OzarkEdge True again… reduce, reuse, recycle are conservative principles I live by

Around here we recycle just about anything we can, the largest amount of material recycled is steel, followed by copper, mostly wiring and brass.

I also have a side business selling used appliances all of which I get for free, I find it amazing that people will replace properly working appliances with new ones as part of a remodel.

Another thing I find that is really wasteful are RV’s, folks will pay a ton of money to buy one and then don’t maintain the units primarily the roof.

Once a RV roof leaks the RV self destructs from the inside out, once they get bad enough the owner will commonly just give it away just to get it off the property.

And they are full of valuable recyclables.

Splitpair

real_aurgathor To supply the entire US current electricity demand with solar panels, it would require roughly 21,250 square miles of land.

Not quite true as that estimate included the NREL combination of PV and CSP systems for generation.

Other flaws in that report are, the authors just simply took the required annual power for the US and divided it by the amount of solar generation needed to meet that load, but that method is flawed as the power must be supplied 24/7/365, not 4 to 6 hours a day and that requires storage a lot of storage and a lot more generation to make up for the inherent charge discharge loss’s of storage and non-sun days, plus the additional real estate for the installation of the BESS which in less than a year is going to be required to be even a larger complex due to the new BESS fire Codes being formulated and eventually finalized.

And then there is another problem where will these mega-farms be installed and what is going to be used to replace the CSP systems that are failing and not being replaced due to all the problems they have caused over the years.

OzarkEdge

Splitpair Why?

Earning money is really not very hard at all it just takes looking at work with a different mindset.

And it pays more to work smart, not hard.

You’re not acknowledging that other people’s reality can be much different from your own.

Splitpair

OzarkEdge You’re not acknowledging that other people’s reality can be much different from your own.

I have acknowledged it and as stated peoples realities are more of what they make of them versus being forced upon them.

ElQuintron

This has moved from a technical thread, to a threading the needle thread, to an inescapably political thread, and has run its course.

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