How far? Quite a ways!

There’s an interesting special section in today’s WSJ devoted to the question: how far have we really gotten with alternative energy??From my vantage point – quite a ways!?As a youngster, I can recall my brother experimenting with a small solar energy kit to power a small light.?I was underwhelmed.?Fast forward more than 40+ years and solar has become the cheapest source of new generation on a levelized basis:

Now 40+ years is not the blink of an eye, but the remarkable thing about solar is that the price has dropped over 80% in just the past 10 years.?If only I could say the same about my cell phone bill.?Clearly there are plenty of challenges to overcome as we integrate more alternative energy sources into the generation mix, but the trend lines are clear and inevitable.?I wonder what energy experiments kids are conducting today that will change the world 40 years hence?

*Source: Jennifer Hiller and David Hodari. “How Far Have We Really Gotten With Alternative Energy?” Wall Street Journal Nov. 11, 2021