←back to thread

'Unstoppable force' of solar power propels world to 40% clean electricity

(news.sky.com)
177 points belter | 1 comments | 08 Apr 25 10:11 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source
Show context
jeffbee ◴[08 Apr 25 16:18 UTC] No.43623461[source]▶
When do the fission cheerleaders capitulate?
replies(3): >>43623515 #>>43624474 #>>43626877 #
tick_tock_tick ◴[08 Apr 25 21:57 UTC] No.43626877[source]▶
I mean solar is basically worthless at any large scale if we get fission actually working. The fission dream will only die if we get to the point where solar/wind/etc and grid storage have gotten so cheap no one can make any money selling electricity.
replies(1): >>43627727 #
1. xyzzy123 ◴[09 Apr 25 00:14 UTC] No.43627727[source]▶
Various parts of the energy sector (line maintenance in particular) seem to be hit pretty hard with cost disease & liabilities, plus there are often 2 or 3 companies, a market (being gamed), local authorities (that need a cut and have admin costs) and a regulatory structure between you and the power station.

I dunno how it will all play out but given how "overhead" costs keep rising it's possible that private solar & storage costs drop low enough that its cheaper than grid power in many places despite being much less efficient from first principles.

Physics vs beauracracy.

From my perspective, prices for full "off grid" setup dictate the maximum that utilities can charge, basically the main thing keeping them honest at this point. The other thing to price in would be the likelihood of new taxes / fees or bans on local generation if it looks like the grid will hit a death spiral.