Solar power has reached critical mass, according to author and environmental activist Bill McKibben, and it’s already transforming the way humans consume energy.
Last year, he says, more than 96% of global demand for new electricity was met by renewables. Thanks in large part to Chinese efforts, he says, humans are now putting up a gigawatt’s worth of solar panels — roughly one coal-fired plant — every fifteen hours. Texas is now installing renewables and batteries faster than California.
Here & Now‘s Anthony Brooks speaks with McKibben about this reason for cautious optimism. McKibbon’s latest story for New Yorker is “The Sun is Having a Moment,” and his forthcoming book is “Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization.”
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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