In the race to stop climate change, fewer tools are more important than renewable energy sources. Solar power in particular is especially great because it can be distributed. You can stick it on your rooftop and make power yourself! No power plants needed.
In recent years, the implementation of solar power has been rapidly increasing. More and more homes are being fitted for them, and utilities are buying into big solar farms. Most of the new electricity brought on the grid is now solar. That’s amazing!
Scotland has been taking advantage of reduced costs of solar panels. 5 years ago, the country set an aggressive goal to get 500 megawatts of “community” energy on the grid by 2020. Community energy focuses on local distribution, in solar gardens and on rooftops.
Community energy represents tremendous potential to empower people to make the most of their own local resources. By creating a system that focuses on local energy, we can help to tackle some of our most pressing issues – from security of supply, to increasing energy costs – and stimulate local economic renewal,” says Scotland’s Energy Minister Fergus Ewing.
Incredibly, Scotland announced that it reached its 500 megawatt goal already, a full 5 years ahead of schedule.
But that’s not where the good news ends! The United States keeps setting solar power records as well. In 2015, 70% of all new power added to the grid was solar, and the costs of solar panels just keeps on dropping.
The future is looking bright for solar power and for all of us too!
