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Also worth pointing out that new solar has been cheaper than existing coal for at least several years: https://energynews.us/newsletter/renewables-are-now-way-c

Also worth pointing out that new solar has been cheaper than existing coal for at least several years: https://energynews.us/newsletter/renewables-are-now-way-cheaper-than-coal/ https://energynews.us/newsletter/renewables-are-now-way-chea...

gjsman-1000 3y ago
Yes, and 45% of the global polysilicon supply that solar panels are made from, comes from the Xinjiang region of China, according to Bloomberg. If you don't mind that it possibly comes from concentration camp labor, it's great.
- mbgerring 3y ago
  Unfortunately, solving the many problems of this century requires us to walk and chew gum at the same time. Oil and gas extraction also leaves an enormous amount of social destruction in its wake, such as the massive increase in homicide, drug abuse and sex trafficking in the Bakken Shale region in North Dakota during the boom in the 2010s. Social issues created by resource extraction are not unique to renewable energy, and highlighting those problems only when they relate to renewables is deeply intellectually dishonest.
  - gjsman-1000 3y ago
    Why is this not "whataboutism?" It's okay if it happens again because it happened previously?
    - fluoridation 3y ago
      I think what the GP is saying is that neither thing is okay, but if one is acceptable (in the sense that it's not so terrible that using the resource is untenable) then the other should also be. Sometimes the difference between whataboutism and pointing out inconsistencies can be very small.
  - Turing_Machine 3y ago
    Sorry, roughnecks voluntarily spending their money on prostitutes and drugs is an entirely different thing from state-run forced labor camps. > deeply intellectually dishonest. Umm... okay.
- fluoridation 3y ago
  If the Chinese don't mind, then why should you?
- defrost 3y ago
  If only there was a once great industrial country willing to reverse its trend of outsourcing dirty filthy production factories overseas to the cheapest labour. That'd stop the disingenuous hand wringing.

gjsman-1000 3y ago

Yes, and 45% of the global polysilicon supply that solar panels are made from, comes from the Xinjiang region of China, according to Bloomberg. If you don't mind that it possibly comes from concentration camp labor, it's great.

mbgerring 3y ago
Unfortunately, solving the many problems of this century requires us to walk and chew gum at the same time. Oil and gas extraction also leaves an enormous amount of social destruction in its wake, such as the massive increase in homicide, drug abuse and sex trafficking in the Bakken Shale region in North Dakota during the boom in the 2010s. Social issues created by resource extraction are not unique to renewable energy, and highlighting those problems only when they relate to renewables is deeply intellectually dishonest.
- gjsman-1000 3y ago
  Why is this not "whataboutism?" It's okay if it happens again because it happened previously?
  - fluoridation 3y ago
    I think what the GP is saying is that neither thing is okay, but if one is acceptable (in the sense that it's not so terrible that using the resource is untenable) then the other should also be. Sometimes the difference between whataboutism and pointing out inconsistencies can be very small.
- Turing_Machine 3y ago
  Sorry, roughnecks voluntarily spending their money on prostitutes and drugs is an entirely different thing from state-run forced labor camps. > deeply intellectually dishonest. Umm... okay.
fluoridation 3y ago
If the Chinese don't mind, then why should you?
defrost 3y ago
If only there was a once great industrial country willing to reverse its trend of outsourcing dirty filthy production factories overseas to the cheapest labour. That'd stop the disingenuous hand wringing.