Lately, there’s been a TON of talk about renewables. Why? Because they’re becoming a viable alternative, and we’re poised to make some changes. A lot of this has to do with efficiency and cost. Not only is solar power becoming more and more efficient, the price of solar panels is rapidly decreasing. The New York Times had a great article on this, which notes a few key facts. First, Krugman talks about the massive price drop for solar, which is awesome. But secondly, he addresses the fact that coal companies and oil/natural gas companies cost energy users more than they should in costs to the public! Now, it seems that people are using solar more and more.
But what about coal? Well, as the supply of solar panels becomes abundant, stockpiles of coal are going down. Though this may not be permanent, it’s worth noting that we will run out of coal some day. It’s not an infinite resource by any means. And while we use this resource, it seems like disasters keep lurking. Where to put coal ash, tragic accidents that kill miners, and carbon emissions. Now that renewables are gaining steam, why should we look back? It’s worth it to move to a more permanent, stable energy source, rather than wait for an even more catastrophic disaster.
And as we all know, when the price is right, it’s time to buy! We can invest in renewables here on campus. While the university has been making strides in sustainability, it’s not quite there yet. Not as long as we’re firing coal, when biomass is a viable alternative. I’m glad society is making progress and discussing renewables, but we still have awhile to go!
