The world is rapidly adopting new technology that can provide the energy our world needs at low cost
Solar energy has grown faster than anyone predicted:
For a more recent graph showing how solar energy has continued to grow quickly, see this website: https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/1dknl7x/predictions_vs_reality_for_solar_energy_growth
In California, this growth of solar is impressive, with 35% of the electricity generated in California now being generated from solar panels:
Data source = EIA
Lithium batteries are now repeating the huge success of solar energy.
Source: RMI
California is also at the cutting edge of battery adoption, resulting in an impressive transition: lithium batteries are sometimes the greatest source of electricity powering California’s grid as seen between 7 pm and 8 pm for April 20, 2025:
Data source: CAISO
Although the energy transition has a long way to go, the energy transition can continue to be faster than predicted if we are smart about how we adopt the new technology. For example, charging electric vehicles (EVs) during the day from solar energy creates demand for more solar electricity while reducing the energy needed to drive the vehicles. You can read more about this concept at Zareafifi, et al.
This research is being led by Sarah Kurtz.
