Democrats, especially the Biden administration, are dead-set on pursuing a fantasy involving the total elimination of fossil fuel energy in exchange for “green” or “alternative” energy sources, like windmills and solar panels.
While the latter forms of energy production are available, the problem is that green energy sources are expensive and unreliable at this point in time. According to Breitbart, the latest figures coming out of the solar energy sector paint a dark picture for President Joe Biden’s obsession with eliminating tried-and-true fossil fuels from the American energy sector.
The solar energy sector is hurting so badly that advocates for that particular energy source are already lining up to beg Congress for a bailout.
That bailout would have definitely happened had Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) not killed Biden’s “Build Back Better” legislation, as it was jam-packed with billions of dollars carved out for the alternative energy sector.
Solar energy in trouble
The Financial Times published a recent piece detailing how the solar sector is crumbling, and the numbers tell a grim tale of its immediate future.
“Solar capacity installations in the fourth quarter last year were about 2.5 gigawatts, the lowest quarter of the year and down 43 per cent year-on-year, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Now, the slowdown is stretching into 2022,” the report noted.
It added: “Costs for new large-scale solar projects were up 18 per cent last year, breaking a long run of significant cost declines, and more than 10 per cent of projects due online this year have been delayed or called off as problems for the sector have piled up.”
The report went on to add that Biden’s restrictions on certain trade items coming from China, along with the supply chain crisis and the skyrocketing cost of necessary commodities have essentially halted any forward momentum for the solar sector, for the time being.
Industry experts’ warnings
Abigail Ross Hopper, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), highlighted how badly the solar sector is hurting amid Biden’s numerous economic crises facing America.
“It’s a story about an industry that is growing,” Hopper said. “It’s also one that needs to grow at four times its current pace if we are to hit climate targets.”
Hopper added: “A difficult trade environment, ruptured supply chains and the failure of Congress to pass legislation, is slowing what could be a massive success story.”
While it’s true that alternative energy sources can play a role in American energy consumption, the key word is “alternative,” as the world is nowhere near the technological stage to depend solely on non-fossil fuel sources, nor will it be for some time.