ENVIRONMENT

Experts Predict One Source of Energy Will Dominate the Power Grid by 2050: "We Are Still Seeing Very Rapid Innovation"

November 22nd, 2023

We are nearing a time when most of Earth’s power will be generated 93 million miles away by the largest power plant in the solar system: the sun.

That’s according to researchers from the United Kingdom’s University of Exeter, who claim we have surpassed a “tipping point,” as solar panel costs, use, and availability are all improving at impressive rates. The experts feel that by 2050, the sun will be powering most of our world.

“The recent progress of renewables means that fossil fuel–dominated projections are no longer realistic,” Exeter’s Femke Nijsse said in a university report, which also cited advancements in wind power.

The study, reported on in Nature Communications, notes that solar panel costs dropped by 15% a year from 2010-20. The installed capacity (the amount of energy the system can produce) increased by 25% per year as well.

It’s good news for a planet under the heat lamp, with temperature records being set on land and water. And, we may be at an intersection of tipping points. Climate experts warn that the planet’s average temperature “should not exceed that of preindustrial times [before roughly 1900] by more than … 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit,” according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. That report cites other experts who fear that threshold will be crossed (66% likely) at some point in the next four years.

Burning of dirty fuels for electricity and heat production contributes 25% of global heat-trapping air pollution, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Surfshark AdBlock


So, solar power’s zenith is a welcome sight on the horizon for climate watchdogs. Lower costs and higher performance are important for mainstream adoption and reducing planet-warming air pollution.

However, the Exeter team also highlighted four barriers for solar energy: grid resilience, access to finance, supply chains, and politics.

The experts said that power grids need to be built with renewables in mind. Storing the intermittently generated electricity is important, or our energy systems will become “locked” with fossil burners to compensate for renewable energy’s sporadic production.

“If you don’t put the processes in place to deal with that variability, you could end up having to compensate by burning fossil fuels,” Nijsse said in the university report. Financing for renewable projects, particularly in poorer countries, and supply chains that can provide the rare metals needed for the tech worldwide are challenges, per Exeter.

Now, the researchers plan to continue studying climate “tipping points” to help us better understand the path forward.

“We are still seeing very rapid innovation in solar technology,” Nijsse said in the report.

Curated By

Kaito Tanaka
Strategic Innovation Consultant | Technology Investment Analyst | Operations Research Director
Kaito Tanaka is a futurist journalist who approaches news through the lens of optimization and efficiency. Specializing in cutting-edge technologies like CRISPR, robotics, and supply chain innovations, he distills complex developments into their most actionable insights. Known for his clinical analysis style, Kaito cuts through traditional narratives to identify systemic inefficiencies and opportunities for progress. His commentary reflects a pragmatic worldview where sentiment yields to solutions, and every story is evaluated based on its potential to advance human capability. When he's not tracking breakthrough research, you'll find him optimizing his own workflow or planning his next travel adventure with mathematical precision.

Suggested Reading

The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels

For decades, environmentalists have told us that using fossil fuels is a self-destructive addiction that will destroy our planet. Yet at the same time, by every measure of human well-being, from life expectancy to clean water to climate safety, life has been getting better and better. How can this ...

The Great Transition: Shifting from Fossil Fuels to Solar and Wind Energy

As oil insecurity deepens, the extraction risks of fossil fuels rise, and concerns about climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old economy, fueled by oil, natural gas, and coal is being replaced with one powered by wind, solar, and geo...

Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas--Not Less

For over a decade, philosopher and energy expert Alex Epstein has predicted that any negative impacts of fossil fuel use on our climate will be outweighed by the unique benefits of fossil fuels to human flourishing--including their unrivaled ability to provide low-cost, reliable energy to billions o...

Climate and Energy Decoded: A Realistic Overview of Climate Change, Renewable Energy & Low-Carbon Transition

Climate change, renewable energy and low carbon transition are arguably the most debated topics of the twenty-first century. Climate and Energy Decoded provides a rare, unbiased overview of these critical topics. The book also methodically debunks the related myths. The daily glut of biased informa...

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you accept our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.