What’s new
More than 60 top scientists from around the world just released a report on Nature.com (linked in today’s sources) saying that solar power is taking over as the top power source faster than anyone expected.
Experts from labs in the United States, Germany, Japan, and other countries found that the world now has more than 2 terawatts of solar power, double what we had just four years ago, and that solar will likely be the world’s dominant source of power by 2050.
Why it matters
It took the world 68 years (1954-2022) to reach 1 terawatt of solar. We reached 2 terawatts just over two years later.
A terawatt is a LOT of electricity. 1 Terawatt of electricity is 5% of the electricity the entire planet uses at any given moment.
It’s hard to visualize, but let’s try.
First, we need to buy one billion microwaves, or about half of the microwaves that exist on the entire planet.
Now we need a space to lay them all down. We’ll have to level Manhattan, The Bronx, and Staten Island, and fill the space with nothing but microwaves, and somehow plug them all in.
Then we’ll need to turn them on at the same time. As soon as they’re all on, we’re using roughly 1 terawatt of electricity.
The report predicts that we could have 75 terawatts of solar power by 2050.
So um… Imagine covering all of upstate New York in microwaves, and you’re somewhere near imagining the amount of clean power we’re about to generate.
To stay on track and hit that huge number, we’ll need more efficient solar panels.
Companies like Tandem PV are building new types of panels called “tandems” that stack layers of perovskites and silicon to catch more light and turn it into electricity that will be more widely available soon.
While this technology grows, the U.S. government is cutting money for solar to focus on oil and gas, which the scientists in the report warn could let other countries like China take the lead in this new energy race.
It’s important to note how different solar energy is from fossil fuels. The sun provides free fuel to some part of the earth 24/7, 365.
In just one hour, the Earth gets enough sunlight to power the whole world for an entire year. Because the fuel is free, solar power is the cheapest way to make electricity. You just lay panels out, and they make electricity.
Solar power doesn’t require the infrastructure that you need to dig things up, transport them to a different place, and burn them to make electricity.
The “solar century” is already here, and the countries that embrace solar power will be the most sovereign in the future, because they’ll have complete control over their energy generation.
Court Blocks Some of Trump Administration’s Clean Energy Cuts
What’s new:
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration violated the U.S. Constitution by canceling clean energy grants for states that did not vote for him in the 2024 election.
Why it matters:
The ruling restores seven specific grants worth $27.6 million, which had been awarded to projects like electric vehicle charging programs and building efficiency projects.
The lawsuit was brought by the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, and several environmental groups after the Department of Energy (DOE) cut over $7.5 billion in funding last October.
The court found that there was “no rational relationship” between where a project is located and whether it deserves funding, calling the administration’s actions a violation of the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection.
While this specific ruling only saves a small portion of the canceled funds, legal experts say the decision sets a precedent that could protect other projects from being targeted for political reasons.
The DOE disagrees with the ruling and claims the projects were cut because they didn’t meet necessary standards, but the judge noted the administration freely admitted to making decisions based on voting patterns.
Sources:
Talking About Energy Dominance? Solar Would Like to Have a Word. - Inside Climate News
Historical and future learning for the new era of multi-terawatt photovoltaics
Court says Trump DOE violated Fifth Amendment when canceling clean energy funding to blue states
Trump administration unlawfully cut clean energy grants, court rules | Utility Dive
