A study shows that claims about renewable energy's high cost are demonstrably false.
The Wall Street Journal and Fraser Institute published the articles about solar and wind power Jan. 1, and Steve Hanley of CleanTechnica debunked the arguments with the help of Mark Jacobson, director of Stanford University's Atmosphere/Energy Program.
Jacobson was the lead author of a paper that shows clean energy does not produce expensive and unstable electricity, as the articles claimed.
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Less than $100 😎 The two articles contended that because solar and wind are intermittent, they require backup energy sources powered by dirty coal, gas, and oil, using examples of rising costs absorbed by consumers.
Jacobson's study countered that increasing the share of wind, water, and solar energy reduces prices in the United States and that high prices are caused by other factors, including infrastructure upgrades and the operating costs of, for example, a nuclear power plant.
"California and other states and countries still have a long way to go to reach 100% WWS [wind, water, solar] every hour of every day in their electricity sector, and to transition other sectors to electricity supplied with WWS," the study concluded. "However, the data-driven results here support those from modeling studies that indicate grids with a WWS penetration of up to or exceeding 100% can be both reliable (avoid blackouts) and economically feasible. Such a transition is necessary and should benefit consumers financially and health-wise."
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In California, the grid operates on renewable electricity — with the help of battery storage — for much of the year. In 2024, it pulled everyone through a heat wave and operated without a hiccup. Even in Texas, the United States' largest oil producer, solar power and accompanying batteries are coming to the forefront as viable sources of cheap, clean power.
The switch is picking up steam. In 2023, 21.4% of U.S. energy demand was met with renewable resources. In the first three quarters of 2024, 90% of new electrical generating capacity came from renewables.
Hanley wrote that such information is necessary to counter "the misrepresentations and disinformation campaigns" of Big Oil. "Knowledge is power," he stated. "Use it wisely."
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