Why renewables, when scaled up, are simply unbeatable

As somebody who pays close attention to the energy transition and decarbonization, arguably one of the most important technological revolutions, I am surprised that some things still need to be explained. It seems obvious to me that there is simply no comparison between an energy source that has to be extracted from the ground at great environmental and economic cost, only to burn it, leaving behind harmful emissions that we can’t avoid breathing in, and on top of which is barely 30% or less efficient, and another that is limitless, requires little or no need for maintenance, and produces no harmful emissions.

The differences are obvious and very important, especially in the case of photovoltaic solar energy. A 30-year longitudinal study in the European Union shows that solar panels maintain their efficiency at rates much higher than expected over time. In France, panels installed in 1992, more than 32 years ago, continue to function at 80% efficiency. Another study on the degradation of more than 8GW of solar panels in the United States by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows minimal degradation, and that in addition, the impact of possible damage caused by extreme weather events is also much lower than initially expected.

Based on this kind of evidence, it makes sense for a country like Spain to do what most…