Vast arrays of solar panels floating on calm seas near the Equator could provide effectively unlimited solar energy to densely populated countries in Southeast Asia and West Africa.
Our new research shows offshore solar in Indonesia alone could generate about 35,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) of solar energy a year, which is similar to current global electricity production (30,000TWh per year).
And while most of the world’s oceans experience storms, some regions at the Equator are relatively still and peaceful. So relatively inexpensive engineering structures could suffice to protect offshore floating solar panels.
I do not doubt that we do not have a good choice for our leader. Biden has age-related issues and Trump seems to be out of touch with the truth. I found this link very interesting. How has our process of electing a decent head of country gotten so far off track?
BBC did a “fact check” on claims made in the debate. The following link is not from BBC, but it covers and agrees with what they reported.
New report makes shocking reveal about — a record-setting change is the culprit
This trend is very encouraging. Hopefully, coal producers and workers will be assisted with the transition.
Article by Ben Raker
Tue, August 1, 2023 at 6:00 AM CDT·2 min read
The winds of change — or, at least, wind and solar power — may be blowing past dirtyold coal as a leading source of electricity in the United States.
Wind and solar combined for nearly 16% of electrical energy generation in the U.S. over the first five months of this year, while coal contributed about 15%, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) — with the first four months also reported on by Electrek.
Wind generated about 12% of the U.S. total through the first five months. Solar, including small-scale and utility-scale production, contributed about 4%.
Electrek also reports that, when you consider biomass, geothermal, and hydropower as renewable energy along with wind and solar, those energy sources accounted for nearly 26% of U.S. electrical generation through April.
An analysis of the data through April by the nonprofit SUN DAY Campaign noted that solar-generated electricity grew by more than 10% from the same period in 2022 and benefited from large increases in small-scale generation, such as from rooftop solar systems.
Meanwhile, coal-electric generation plunged more than 28% compared to the same time last year, per SUN DAY.
Electricity generation is just one sector of energy use, and coal is still part of a mix of sources we all depend on nationally and globally. And yet, breaking free of this dependence has advantages.
One big plus is saving money. Earlier this year, the group Energy Innovation reported that it’s cheaper to replace 99% of U.S. coal plants with renewables than to run them.
The Inflation Reduction Act has received significant credit for incentivizing the shift to renewables. The great news for average Americans is that incentives are significant for citizens as well as for companies to save money by switching to renewables.
