To the editor:
I wanted to thank the Leelanau County Energy Futures Task Force for working to bring clean energy to Leelanau County.
I recently read a research paper prepared by Columbia University titled “Rebutting 33 False Claims about Solar, Wind and Electric Vehicles” that I found so helpful in understanding some of the misinformation presented on these topics.
A couple specific claims that directly rebut some false ideas I’ve heard include the following: False Claim #11: Solar energy is more expensive than fossil fuels and completely dependent on subsidies.
A misinformed quote might say something like “Solar farms depend entirely on subsidies from your hard earned money. When the subsidies are gone, the solar farms are abandoned!”
This is false. The paper states that unsubsidized solar energy is now generally cheaper than fossil fuels. According to the International Energy Agency’s 2020 World Energy Outlook, photovoltaic solar power is “the cheapest source of new electricity generation in most parts of the world,” and “…solar PV is now the cheapest source of electricity in history.”
False Claim #12: Solar panels don’t work in cold or cloudy climates.
Again false. Solar panels generate energy even in cold or cloudy conditions. Although cloudy weather may reduce power generation by as much as 45%, substantial energy can still be generated during those conditions. Cold temperatures, however, do not reduce output at all and actually increase solar panel efficiency by increasing voltage.
I’m so proud to live in a county looking to implement clean energy!
Maryann Barnes Glen Arbor
