Thursday, July 6, 2017

We’re a Cheap Battery Away From Phasing Out Fossil Fuels

Source: VICE Motherboard

Fossil fuels are the most widely used source of energy because of base load power, which means they provide energy at all times, night and day. In contrast, renewables have faced the 'intermittency' challenge—the sun doesn't always shine, and the wind doesn't always blow.
...
By 2050, these irresistible technological and market forces could make oil, gas and coal seem too costly and cumbersome, leading renewables to account for "100 percent of global energy demand."
... There will be an immediate impact within just three years.
...
"Solar storage is pitched to become so cheap it will make relying on natural gas peaker plants pointless…It will lead to rapid adoption of solar by businesses, local governments, and households—not because people are environmentally conscious, but simply because it will make more economic sense." --Vicente Lopez-Ibor Mayor, chairman of Lightsource—the biggest solar energy company in Europe