I have good news.
I think it’s critical to highlight good news when it happens because the media and humans, in general, tend to focus on the negative whenever possible.
So… good news! For the first time since World War II, a renewable energy resource — hydroelectric back then, solar today — has accounted for more than half of the additional energy generation added to the United States energy grids.
All told, the U.S. added 32.4 gigawatts of solar generation, or 53 percent of new generation added, smashing the 23.6-gigawatt record set in 2021.
Huzzah!
Also a far cry from the days when the Reagan administration gutted the research and development budgets for renewable energy at the then-fledgling U.S. Department of Energy and eliminated tax breaks for the deployment of wind turbines and solar technologies, thus recommitting the nation to reliance on cheap but polluting fossil fuels, often from foreign suppliers.
Reagan also removed the solar panels from the White House roof just six years after Jimmy Carter had them installed, even though they produced clean, efficient, nearly free energy daily.
Perhaps an early example of a Republican’s attempt to “own the libs.”
Or maybe just shortsighted and stupid.
Sadly, it took us another forty years for solar power to exceed more than half of energy generation on the grid.
Imagine how much better the world might be today had we remained committed to Carter’s investments in solar energy development and deployment.
Still, it’s fantastic that more than half of electrical energy is generated today via solar power, which is clean, cheap, and abundant, regardless of what liars and no-nothings might tell you.
Granted, none of this good news matters much, given what is happening in the developing world in terms of emissions, but proof of concept is critical if we ever decide to actually invest in saving the climate for future human generations.
So, a little good news?
