What if there was a source of energy available to us that did not cost anything to access; did not require us to harm the environment with drilling, fracking or mining; was, for all intents and purposes, limitless in its availability to everyone; and was the most cost competitive in terms of conversion into electricity?
And what if there was a second source of energy to produce electricity that was finite; expensive and environmentally harmful to access; polluted the air we breathe when used; caused endless conflicts and wars because of its relative scarcity and the fact that it is concentrated in the hands of only a few; and was much more expensive to convert into a usable fuel?
Would you choose the first source, or the second?
It might surprise you to learn that the first, cheaper source, aptly named “renewable” energy like wind and solar, was subsidized by the world’s G20 countries, using 2023 figures, in the amount of $168 billion. The second, more expensive source, ironically and aptly named “fossil fuels,” was subsidized by the world’s G20 countries in the amount of $538 billion for the same time frame.
This might leave you scratching your head. But when you consider that the fossil fuel industry has been raking in huge profits for decades and has a very powerful voice in Washington, contributing nearly half a billion dollars in donations, lobbying and advertising during the 2024 election cycle, you begin to understand why the solar and wind industry has been effectively shut down by the current administration in Washington. Logically, there is no other reason for choosing fossil fuels over renewables except for the profit motive. Greed might be a better word.
On the bright side, much of the rest of the world is making the logical choice and investing heavily in the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. While the US falls back into 20th century habits and technology, other countries are surging forward into the 21st century, developing cleaner, cheaper, more efficient and more resilient sources of energy.
For example, in the first five months of 2025, China built 198 gigawatts (GW) of solar and wind energy, which is equivalent to the amount generated by all of Indonesia or Turkey. In May 2025 alone, China installed 93 GW of solar, which is almost 100 solar panels per second! In fact, China’s installed solar capacity exceeds 1,000 GW, or roughly one-half of the world’s total installed solar, and by 2030, China’s installed renewables capacity is expected to be 60% of all worldwide capacity, according to a report in The Guardian.
In Pakistan, the grassroots movement to install solar panels has turned the country into one of the world’s fastest solar markets, NPR has reported. Pakistanis have turned to solar as an affordable and reliable source of electricity, in contrast to the state electricity grid, which is out-of-date and unreliable, resulting in frequent blackouts.
Germany and Spain have seen boosts in balcony solar — solar panels affixed to balcony railings. Cheap and easy to install, balcony solar generally requires no permitting because of the relatively low wattage. Balcony solar is especially important because it opens access to solar power for individuals who rent or do not own the buildings in which they live.
When combined with battery back-up systems, solar (on both a utility and residential scale) and wind (on a utility scale) provide us with the cheapest and most reliable sources of energy available. All those residential rooftop solar arrays have a direct, positive impact on all of us, because they put additional energy into the grid during peak demand periods throughout the summer. ISO New England, our regional grid operator, reported that during one hot summer day in June, peak demand hit 26,000 megawatts of power throughout the region; 18% of that was met by “behind the meter” (i.e. not controlled by the utility) solar installations — mostly residential and small business rooftop arrays, according to NHPR.
This is the 21st century. Fossil fuels are going the way of the dinosaurs, and the only reason we can still afford to use them is because of the heavy subsidies they receive. The only people benefitting from the use of fossil fuels are industry executives. The transition to clean, renewable and affordable energy is upon us and moving at high speed. Embrace the future and join the nationwide celebration of solar and wind energy on Sun Day, Sept. 21 (actionnetwork.org/events/upper-valley-sun-day).
Robin Kaiser lives in Hanover.