In 1879, when Thomas Edison’s dark workshop was slowly and dimly illuminated by his creation, we had no concern for where that energy came from. It signified the beginning of a new era. The industrial revolution, the computer revolution, and the internet era were all built on this electricity.
We came up with new uses for it every year, from heating and cooling our homes to powering moving picture boxes that would soon consume so much of our time. And, for a while, it seems limitless. Now, of course, we know better. This power comes at a cost and is finite in its origin. We’ve had to mine our landscapes and make deals with foreign powers for it. Now, more than 130 years later, we’re in the middle of a new revolution: the renewable revolution with solar power leading the charge.
Very good, well-written article.