Solar Soon to Outpower Coal

Environmentalists everywhere rejoice! This week, several outlets reported that the installed capacity of solar panels now exceed all other form of electricity production. Developing countries like China and India will experience the fastest rates of green power growth. Last year, China installed 2 wind turbines per hour; this year, it generated 43.2 gigawatts of solar capacity, compared with 38.4  in Germany and 27.8 in the US.

Note that actual capacity, the amount of power actually produced, solar still lags behind traditional sources like coal. However, that gap will soon close. This is great news for human progress but one should not ignore the devastating effects it has on communities dependent on coal-production. 

The decline of the coal industry has impoverished many. Those left behind felt that their politicians have ignored or even conspired against them. Some theorize that this is what led to the populists support  for demagogues like Drumpf. 

Sources:

http://fortune.com/2016/10/25/solar-power-capacity-coal-electricity-generation/ 

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/601093/china-is-on-an-epic-solar-power-binge/

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/438426/hillbilly-elegy-jd-vances-new-bookreveals-much-about-trump-america