cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/1175189
Archived version: https://archive.ph/BHN1n
Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20230807191826/https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/08/07/heatwave-energy-shortages-would-have-been-much-worse-without-solar-power-experts-say
It’s hard to say “the US” when it’s made of three distinct grids and each grid has differing suppliers. This is a slightly worse generalization than calling Europe a single country. The grid makeup is very regional and varies widely from operator to operator.
https://app.electricitymaps.com/map
If you click around you’ll see that most of the renewables that show up on the map are hydro. Solar and wind are making a bigger percentage as time goes on but the entrenched investments in fossil fuels do not exactly get replaced overnight.
Germany reunified in 1991. Until then a large proportion of the country was an impoverished communist dictatorship and soviet client state. Currently they’re at 50% renewables. Was half of Texas annexed by Cuba until the 90s? Is that why they didn’t have money to pivot to renewables?
Moldova is still partially occupied by Russia and has a per capita GDP of $6000 dollars. Indiana has a per capita GDP of $61000. Guess whether Indiana or Moldova generate more electricity from renewables…
The US is the richest country on earth. Not having made the pivot to renewables is a political choice. You can blame corruption. You can blame undue influence of the fossil fuel lobby.
But let’s be real, a large proportion of Americans would rather buy a new and unnecessarily large truck than install solar panels on their roof or invest in a heat pump. I mean, IRC some or other government agency suggesting you should get rid of your gas stove became politically controversial in the US not so long ago. Michelle Bachmann ran a campaign against energy saving lightbulbs, for gods’ sake!
You don’t need a new powergrid to install solar panels on your roof or replace your gas stove with induction. All that is required is a realisation that saving energy isn’t gay, anti-christian or communism.
TBF Biden’s actually doing something about it, and California’s been ahead of the curve since forever, but half of congress and ‘real America’ is throwing a tantrum.