Solar Crushes Corn: The Overwhelming Evidence In Renewable Energy’s David Vs. Goliath

Renewable energy is crushing old-school power sources. Period. Solar and wind now generate electricity cheaper than coal or gas in most places worldwide—we’re talking $30/MWh for solar compared to fossil fuels’ higher prices. Battery storage costs plummeted 75% in five years, solving the “what happens when it’s cloudy” problem. Even Texas loves wind now. No pollution, unlimited fuel, and dropping prices make this David-Goliath battle a stunning upset. The evidence keeps mounting.

While fossil fuel giants have dominated the energy landscape for over a century, renewable energy sources are finally putting up a real fight. The numbers don’t lie. Utility-scale solar and wind are now the cheapest power sources for two-thirds of the planet. We’re talking prices as low as $44/MWh for wind and $50/MWh for solar. That’s not just competitive—it’s crushing the competition.

Remember when everyone said renewables were too expensive? Yeah, that argument is dead. Recent solar projects are coming in under $30/MWh internationally. That beats new coal plants. It beats gas plants too. Even in America, land of cheap natural gas, onshore wind ($24-$46/MWh) and utility-scale solar ($31-$111/MWh) are undercutting nearly all gas-fired generation. Not just by a little—by a lot.

Battery storage used to be the Achilles’ heel. Not anymore. Costs dropped from $600/MWh in 2015 to $150/MWh in 2020. Problem solved.

And let’s talk pollution. Wind and solar emit virtually no greenhouse gases during operation. No smog. No particulates. No respiratory problems. Just clean energy. The small emissions they do produce come from manufacturing and maintenance—mere footnotes compared to the continuous pollution belched by fossil plants.

Texas—oil country, for crying out loud—now leads the nation in wind capacity. If that’s not a sign of changing times, what is? Renewables added a record 22 GW in the U.S. in 2016 alone, growing faster than fossil fuels across the board. Solar PV has emerged as the most common green energy generation method globally, followed closely by wind power. A remarkable 77% of Americans now prioritize developing renewable energy infrastructure over expanding fossil fuel extraction.

Unlike oil, gas, and coal—which took millions of years to form and will eventually run out—sunshine and wind keep coming. Free. Unlimited. No international crises over who controls the sun. With federal tax credits reducing installation costs by 30%, homeowners are finding solar more accessible than ever before.

The renewable transformation isn’t coming. It’s here. With continued tech improvements boosting efficiency and further dropping costs, fossil fuels are starting to look like dinosaurs. Literally and figuratively. The Goliaths of energy are finally meeting their David—and this time, David’s winning.