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    4.6 Billion Years On, the Sun Is Having a Moment
    Futurology

    4.6 Billion Years On, the Sun Is Having a Moment

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    12 Comments

    1. newyorker on

      In March, for the first time, fossil fuels generated less than half the electricity in the U.S. Globally, roughly a third more power is being generated from the sun this spring than last. If this exponential rate of growth can continue, we will soon live in a very different world.

      Bill McKibben writes: “There is a chance for a deep reordering of the earth’s power systems, in every sense of the word ‘power,’ offering a plausible check to not only the climate crisis but to autocracy. Instead of relying on scattered deposits of fossil fuel—the control of which has largely defined geopolitics for more than a century—we are moving rapidly toward a reliance on diffuse but ubiquitous sources of supply. The sun and the wind are available everywhere, and they complement each other well; when sunlight diminishes in the northern latitudes at the approach of winter, the winds pick up. This energy is impossible to hoard and difficult to fight wars over. If you’re interested in abundance, the sun beams tens of thousands of times more energy at the earth than we currently need. Paradigm shifts like this don’t come along often: the Industrial Revolution, the computer revolution. But, when they do, they change the world in profound and unpredictable ways.”

    2. Kryspo on

      Now imagine if our politicians weren’t fighting green energy every step of the way

    3. Paddlesons on

      It’s so funny how impatient and reluctant people are in today’s day and age.

    4. KidKilobyte on

      If this keeps up Trump will have to start bombing solar and wind installations in other countries.

    5. Contemplationz on

      BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) is running rampant since the costs have come down so much. This is only going to further increase the viability of solar and wind.

      I don’t want to have to give a flip anymore about who is shooting at whom half a world away. As long as we’re on oil, we’re exposed to a global market that is partially controlled by a cartel of America’s adversaries.

      Meanwhile the White House is trying to bring back Coal…

    6. Straight-Ad6926 on

      Hey I’m still shining after 4.6 billion years, #SunLife #SolarFlex

    7. BCBUK on

      Thank you for sharing, this is all really positive and I don’t think we make enough of a show of how far we have come. Both sides are unfortunately responsible for this, one side wants to go back to coal and abandon all progress because we can’t currently get a plane to make a transatlantic flight without oil derived products, meanwhile those who are campaigning for a greener future seem to insist no progress has been made and resort to ever more desperate displays.

    8. bap1331 on

      A bunch of waste and space on the field. Lots of trash with solar panels. Also they only last 10 years

    9. manbeardawg on

      It’s about time that freeloading star finally proved useful. Lord knows it’s been basking in humanity’s glory without providing one lick of value for millions of years…

    10. alegonz on

      For years, I heard “what if we spend billions on green energy, costing our economy a lot, and China keeps using cheap fossil fuels to keep their economy strong, which gives them an advantage?”

      Which is an argument with severe birth defects, but at least I can see the (poor) logic.

      Now China is spending a fortune on green energy, which creates lots of jobs, and we’re literally handing them a golden century.

    12. naileyes on

      the new yorker published this, and i was briefly actually hopeful about the world for like two minutes. then they published a piece that’s like “Climate: we’re fucked” which they have been aggressive promoting on social media. back to being depressed!! thanks guys!!