Mapped! Where the Sun Always Shines and The Wind Always Blows

The old saying that clean energy can't be relied upon because "the sun doesn't always shine, and the wind doesn't always blow" is rapidly becoming obsolete. Thanks to modern innovations, today's clean energy landscape offers reliable and affordable solutions to intermittency concerns. This transformation is driven by three key factors: diversification of energy sources, cost leadership, and the creation of meaningful new economic opportunities.

The result: an energy system where the sun can always shine and the wind can always blow.

Diversification of Energy Sources

The integration of multiple clean energy sources creates a more stable, predictable, and reliable energy supply. By combining multiple sources that complement each other, we can use diversification to our advantage:

• Solar and wind often have complementary generation patterns, meaning when one source tapers off, another is likely to increase.

• Hydropower and geothermal provide consistent baseload power (always-available energy) to fill any gaps left by more variable energy sources.

• Advanced nuclear technologies offer carbon-free, dispatchable energy that can be ramped up or down as needed.

• Grid-scale batteries, which act as both an energy source and energy storage, enable energy to be stored when production is high and released when demand increases.

Long-duration storage solutions are emerging to address even greater challenges, such as seasonal variations:

• Form Energy’s iron-air batteries offer up to 100 hours of storage, providing the flexibility needed to meet demand even when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

• Another notable example of long-duration battery deployment is China, where energy storage solutions are being scaled to support its growing renewable energy supply.

• Pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) already provides more than 90% of grid-scale storage, and it has plenty of room for expansion.

For regions with significant seasonal demand fluctuations, such as areas with extreme winters or summers, these long-duration storage options are especially relevant because they can serve as “baseload” for the grid.

This combination of diversified energy sources and innovative storage solutions effectively addresses the intermittency issue, providing reliable power 24/7.

Clean Energy is the New Low-Cost Leader

Technological advancements have turned clean energy into the lowest cost option for new power generation:

• Solar costs have dropped more than 80% since 2010, now averaging around $1 per Watt for utility-scale installations. This is approximately the same as natural gas, and it’s continuing to fall. China’s costs for utility-scale solar is about 50% lower.

• Wind energy costs have decreased by 40% over the past decade, with onshore wind installations averaging about $1.30 per Watt.

• Battery storage costs have plummeted by more than 90% since 2010 - putting energy storage on a clear path for affordable, grid-scale deployment.

These dramatic cost declines have made clean energy the new low-cost option:

• For comparison, natural gas combined cycle plants cost around $1 per watt to install. This cost is stable and does not see the ongoing improvements in clean alternatives such as solar, wind, and batteries.

As clean energy technologies continue to scale, their costs will fall farther, and clean energy will increase its position as the smartest economic choice.

New Economic Opportunities

The clean energy transition is unlocking new economic opportunities, particularly in geographies that haven’t benefited from traditional energy sources:

• Farmers are discovering new revenue sources by leasing land where they can retain ownership and add a new revenue stream that provides a stable income alongside their traditional farming activities.

• Rural communities are benefiting from job creation in clean energy sectors, from construction to operations and maintenance of clean energy infrastructure.

Initiatives such as The Heartland Energy Project proposes developing a large-scale, $250 billion energy economy in The Heartland of the U.S.

The Solar for All Program is a $7 billion initiative to provide clean energy to 1 million low-income households across the United States - significantly reducing electricity costs, promoting job creation, and generating significant economic activity.

The shift to clean energy offers a pathway to energy independence and economic revitalization for communities across the country, giving professionals - like farmers - a central role in powering our future.

Conclusion

By embracing these three factors:

• Diversification of energy sources

• Cost effectiveness

• New economic opportunities

… we can accelerate a future with clean, affordable, and reliable power around the clock.

Progress means replacing the argument of “the sun doesn't always shine, and the wind doesn't always blow" with the reality that “the sun can always shine and the wind can always blow.”