"Long dependent on energy imports,Chilean officials now envision their country turning into a “solar Saudi Arabia.” Its solar energy production has increased sixfold since 2014; last year it was the top-scoring clean-energy producer in the Americas, and 2nd in the world to China -- the leading investor in renewable energy.Construction of coal-fired power plants dropped 62 percent over the past year worldwide. In China the number of new permits for coal-fired plants fell by 85 percent. Driving the global shift to cheap sun power is a dramatic decline in the cost of the photovoltaic (PV) panels. The attack on renewables is that they’re too expensive, but this is efficient, proven technology; "Two-thirds of US greenhouse gases is generated from fossil-fuel sources, according to the most recent data, but on an even playing field, renewables can compete with anything.” And bring jobs!
At www.washingtonpost.com
