Solar vs Goliath
April is an important month for us at Sprightful because it’s when we take the time to celebrate and spotlight one of our most important values: climate action.
This year’s Earth Day theme is #InvestInOurPlanet, and we couldn’t agree more. We know climate change continues to threaten our home, but thankfully, we also know what we need to do to stop it. Action on all levels, from the individual to the societal and governmental, is necessary if we are to even stand a chance. But of course, that’s easier said than done. Where does “environmental action” even start, and more importantly what’s enough to even make an impact? It all starts with awareness, but we argue that’s not enough. Technology gives us a chance to go beyond “I know there’s a problem” to “how do I solve it?”. There is little excuse to sit back and watch as our climate crisis gets worse without taking any action to correct the damage we’ve done.
Households consume 29% of global energy and contribute to 21% of resultant CO2 emissions.
One of the biggest fights we have to face is against the energy sector, the largest contributor to global greenhouse emissions. The United Nations (UN) reports that “households consume 29% of global energy and contribute to 21% of resultant CO2 emissions”. Basically, a fight against our own insatiable need for energy. A David and Goliath scenario if there ever was one. Good news is, solutions are already out there. This is that part of the article where we insert our shameless plug… Solar!
There is no question on whether solar *can* power our lives, the question so far has been *how*. Renewable energies that once seemed utopian and chimerical are our new reality. They are here to stay and lead us into the much needed energy revolution of the future. Ember reports show that wind and solar overtook other clean energy sources (like hydro and bioenergy) to become the 4th largest sources of electricity, generating 38% of global supply.
So, like David, we find ourselves facing (what seemed to be) an unbeatable enemy. We’re standing there, under the looming shadow of this fossil fuel monster we helped create. Skin black as coal and tar and oil dripping from its veins. We feel the smoke of its thick dark breath as it whispers, “it’s too late”.
But then we remember the stones in our hands: wind and solar.
We have the solutions. We have the science , the technology, and the money. So what is holding us back from killing the monster once and for all? For most well-meaning Davids out there, investing in renewable energy has felt like an impossible mission all on its own. High costs kept residential solar systems out of reach for many, as did lack of knowledge and access to installers.
The cost of solar has decreased by over 80% .
Today, this climate has changed (in a good way!). The costs for generating solar power have decreased by more than 80% in the past 10 years (from about $378 to $68 per watt), making them, today, more affordable than power generated by fossil fuels. Paired with more and more solar companies offering more advanced tech, lower costs, and better financing options, solar is quickly becoming accessible.
Investing in our planet is now possible. And dire. So, in honor of today’s Earth Day, we invite you to do so and offer our help.
You can start by completing this carbon footprint assessment: https://www.footprintnetwork.org. See how much of your energy needs are helping fuel the fossil fuel monster. But don’t stop there. Send us the results of your assessment and we’ll provide you with a free energy analysis to see how upgrading your home to solar/harvesting your own solar energy can reduce your carbon impact while helping you save on your energy bills.
The time to #InvestInOurPlanet today. Solar might seem like the underdog… but we know it’s really the hero.
Sources
Facts and Figures. (n.d.).United Nations. Retrieved April 29, 2022, from https://www.un.org/en/actnow/facts-and-figures
Jones, D. (2022, March 30). Global Electricity Review 2022. Ember. https://ember-climate.org/insights/research/global-electricity-review-2022/
Armstrong, M. (2021, November 04). The price of solar power has fallen by over 80% since 2010. Here’s why. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/11/renewable-energy-cost-fallen/#:~:text=Here%27s%20why,of%20becoming%20more%20widely%20adopted.&text=Research%20from%20Our%20World%20in,has%20drastically%20fallen%20since%202010
