Solar energy
💡 Musings of the Angry Optimist: A moral responsibility to accelerate
When we see a digital solution that works, we have a moral obligation to ensure that as many people as possible benefit from it, as quickly as possible.
🌏 The best things happening to humanity right now
It is easy to think of bad things happening right now, but what are the best ones? The list can be made very long, but here are my favorites.
🌞 Australia leads the world in rooftop solar energy
Australia has installed rooftop solar panels on a scale that surpasses all expectations. More than a third of all households in the country now generate their own electricity from the sun. Home-based solar energy accounts for 11.6 percent of electricity production in Australia's main power grid.
📈 Solar energy grows fastest in Central and Eastern Europe
Electricity production from solar parks in Central and Eastern Europe increased by 55 percent during the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Poland and Hungary account for the strongest growth in large-scale solar energy in the region.
🔋 Solar energy and battery storage set to double in the US this year
The US is expected to install twice as much solar energy and battery storage as last year. Growth for solar energy and battery storage is accelerating despite increased adoption. A total of 38 GW new solar energy capacity and 14.7 GW battery storage capacity is expected to be added during 2024.
⛅ Solar energy cost reduction continues despite temporary obstacles
The cost of solar panels has decreased by about 12 percent per year for several decades. Despite short-term cost increases, the long-term trend points towards continued cost reduction. A potential 8-fold reduction in the total cost of solar energy.
🔋 Solar power and batteries help Texas handle record-high energy consumption during heat waves
Texas power grid has broken new records for electricity consumption during the summer of 2024. Solar power has met record-high demand during the day, and batteries have covered the need in the evening.
🏭 Wind and solar energy produce more electricity than coal in the US
Wind and solar energy generated more electricity than coal in the USA during the first seven months of the year. In the USA, almost twice as much solar energy will be added compared to last year.
🌞 Solar and wind surpass fossil fuels in EU electricity production
Wind and solar power generated 30% of EU's electricity during the first half of 2024. For the first time, 13 EU countries produced more electricity from wind and solar than from fossil fuels.