Batteries too seem to be growing exponentially, perhaps even more so than solar. See the cleantech report from RMI, page 14 (PDF).
I suspect the people that still claim that renewables + storage alone can’t work are going to look pretty silly in 10 years time (although they’ll likely find a way to move the goalposts yet again by that point).
I’m confident solar + batteries will solve short term storage. But as far as I know energy density is just not there for seasonal storage. However when energy becomes dirt cheap, chemical storage through Hydrogen or downstream products should become an economic no brainer as well
Seasonal storage is mostly not needed. Close to the equator it is not due to not really having a season problem. Further to the poles you have stronger winds in winter.
That could be the case. But with solar prices consistently dropping every year it should dominate even more in the future. I’m not so sure wind will keep up
So does wind, just not as fast as solar.
Yeah, there’s a bunch of modeling that shows that fairly small amounts of storage enable 90% or more decarbonization at temperate and tropical latitudes.
I’m so excited to see what happens in the remainder of the decade with this. I’ve been 100% on board the Tony Seba hype train since I saw the report on what it would take to have a fully renewable solar, wind and battery grid and the implications of that. It seems like we’re actually on track for this to become a reality.
I can’t wait for every country to have home grown energy
No more having to deal with the Middle East and Russia for energy needs will be a massive benefit. Essentially it’s that “energy security” conservatives pretend to care about.
Sadly it will be a long time before that happens. I wouldn’t mind betting China an Russia keep it unavailable for some of the smaller countries that have fallen under their influence.
I’m ready for enphase to bounce back. Any day now.
