10/28/2018
The sun generates 10.000x the energy used in one year by all human kind today. Data provided by IEA, placed both Wind and PV as the fastest growing generation technologies, over the period of 2015–40, reaching 2.5 and 1.4 trillion kW/h respectively, as these technologies become more cost competitive over time. Natural gas will continue to have an important role as source of primary energy for generation (https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/ieo/pdf/0484(2017).pdf.)
Wind and solar are intermittent sources making the shift towards renewable generation less competitive today. With development in energy storage, coupled with higher energy efficiency in photo voltaic capacity materials, the world will see the dawn of a new era in power generation. Overcoming downtime cycles for both wind and solar, with grid level capacitors (Others than pump hydro) and fast response loading systems, renewable power will change the world as we know it. Today, multi layer PV panels can reach as high as 22% efficiency on their energy capacity at the lab (Or in use by NASA by almost all their probes), when compared to mono crystal silicon based industrial panels that have efficiencies as high as 12% today.
We have to keep in mind that all forms of renewable energy generation, are the resultants of photons that escape the fusion of helium atoms at the sun's core reactor. These have been irradiating earth for over 4.5 billion years. It is Interesting to note that the travel time of these particles (And all others including Neutrinos), to cover the distance that separate us in the solar system, takes approximately 8 minutes. Water evaporation and temperature differentials between areas on earth create lake, rivers and winds, as a consequence of the solar winds travelling through space. So, the sun is really the main driver of all renewable forms of energy here on earth.
In Canada, we have a great opportunity to develop both wind and solar generation, that are still in its infancy stage of development, when compared with the UE, and countries such as Germany or The Netherlands or even China (Largest PV and Wind power producer of the world today). Alberta has implemented decisive polices towards replacing 5,000 MW of power from Coal by Wind by 2030 by its current REP program, and it is best positioned also to capture the benefits from the sun, as it has the highest potential exposure to sun rays, close to the plains of Pincher Creek, Lethbridge or Medicine Hat areas according to Solargis, as depicted on this graph.
