"Things You Wouldn't Know If We Didn't Blog Intermittently."
17 July 2025
The future of clean energy
Selections from a gallery of photos at The Atlantic showing the enormous scale of solar energy projects in China, which currently has 74% of all clean energy projects under construction worldwide. Mountains, deserts, lakes, and industrial sites like the cattle feedlots are being covered with solar panels.
Fantastic. All rooftops that have sun should have some form of solar energy. It is insane that this is not basic building code.
I'm not sure it's a good idea to use land or waterways for solar farming until all other surfaces have been filled. Using "empty land (and water)" feels a bit like using corn for fuel production: one way or another, you're stealing food from someone's mouth.
"But land in the desert is freely available". Yes, but so are most rooftops, and under those rooftops is where the energy is needed, not in the middle of the desert. Transport of energy is not free.
Fantastic. All rooftops that have sun should have some form of solar energy. It is insane that this is not basic building code.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure it's a good idea to use land or waterways for solar farming until all other surfaces have been filled. Using "empty land (and water)" feels a bit like using corn for fuel production: one way or another, you're stealing food from someone's mouth.
"But land in the desert is freely available". Yes, but so are most rooftops, and under those rooftops is where the energy is needed, not in the middle of the desert. Transport of energy is not free.