Solar Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels

Solar power has been generating enthusiasm from homeowners, partly from cost savings, the ability to sell excess to the grid, and the ability to mitigate power outages. Utilities now have a greater incentive to go solar, too. Power plants are expensive. Coal and gas power plants cost about $60-$120/MWh (MegaWatt-hour). Solar plants only cost $20-$60/MWh. Existing plants include sunk costs, so existing plants of either type are likely to continue until they become too uneconomical to operate; but in regions with enough sunshine, solar becomes cheaper. In isolated places like islands or mountainous terrain, solar can also be preferred because fossil fuels are vulnerable to delivery interruptions. The adoption of utility-sized renewable power plants is expected to improve your chances of mitigating climate change. Cost spirals can affect both approaches. Renewable energy technologies continue to develop, driving down costs and increasing adoption. A decreasing customer base spreads fossil fuel costs across fewer customers raising their prices, potentially encouraging more customers to switch to cheaper options, which repeats the spiral. Progress, slow; but progress.