Solar and wind are renewable, plentiful resources that generate low-cost electricity.
Renewable power from solar and wind is the cheapest power, and has been for many years. Solar now generates the cheapest electricity in history. In contrast to a gas plant, there is no fuel cost to run a solar or wind farm. The cost of generating electricity with a renewable resource is stable for the entire life of the hardware — which is expected to be at least 25-30 years for solar and 25 years for wind.
A 2023 report found that 99 percent of U.S. coal plants are more expensive to run than the cost of replacing them with new solar and wind. 90 percent of gas plants will meet the same fate by 2035. As one example, a Minnesota utility company abandoned its plan to build a gas plant, accelerated the retirement of its coal plants, and planned for renewable energy expansion after clean energy advocates proved that doing so would save customers millions, or even billions, of dollars.
Solar panels and wind turbines are reliable technologies that make communities more resilient.
Renewable energy is reliable energy. From Burlington, Vt., to Georgetown, Texas, many communities already run on 100 percent renewable electricity. Because solar and wind generate electricity at a smaller scale, they can be distributed throughout communities and are less susceptible to natural disasters. In fact, many communities are turning to renewable energy and battery storage to protect their residents from outages and harden their grids.
Solar and wind create local, family-sustaining jobs.
Employment opportunities for renewable energy developers, installers, and manufacturers have swelled in the last decade. In 2021, the solar industry supported 333,887 jobs — 39 percent of all jobs in electricity generation. Wind was second in employment, offering 120,164 jobs.
In the coming years, clean energy employers must meet prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements to access certain federal incentives. Wind energy workers will be in very high demand, according to projections for the off-shore wind industry. Skilled technicians leaving the gas industry will find their experience is needed to build geothermal systems. Solar, and especially rooftop solar, will continue to drive the energy work force.
Additional resources:
- Read ILSR’s 2021 report on how 30 million solar homes would create 1.77 million jobs and $69 billion in energy savings.
- Read ILSR’s Energy Self-Reliant States, which finds that 47 states could meet 100 percent of their electricity needs using in-state renewables.