Solar energy is more abundant and cheaper to utilize than fossil fuel energy. Why do global superpower empires/nations/states seek fossil fuel energy so bad, undermining the destruction of fellow human civilizations just to attain control of this precious mineral deposits all over the world?
In my view, whoever controls the fossil fuel energy global mines/deposits also controls the global economy.
The abundance of solar energy varies geographically: Those living in a desert environment may expect full sunshine 95% of the time while those in rainy or northern environments may have full sunshine less than 50% of the time. This variability precludes a one size fits all solar solution that is available with most fossil powered prime movers. A Diesel engine, steam or gas turbine can all be used most places on the planet with only minor variations from one location to the next.
As has been pointed out, the sun sets, so a full solar system must have a system for energy storage during periods of darkness. Not only is a storage system required but this also implies that the solar system must collect 2X the steady state energy requirements of the load. It must power the load AND collect enough energy to store to operate the load during periods of darkness.
Finally is the thermodynamic aspect of 'availability' or more directly, temperature difference. With solar systems, you might generate a source to sink temperature difference of a few hundred degrees requiring sizable collectors and heat exchangers for a system of any notable capacity. Whereas, a fossil / combustion system will often exhibit temperature differences of near 1000 degrees or more making the system much more compact per horsepower or Watt delivered than a solar based system which can be very space intensive per HP or Watt.
Fossil based systems are well entrenched and very familiar. As a colleague of mine used to say, 'It's pretty hard to beat a dead dinosaur.'
Solar energy has a number of practical uses from heating water, desalination and greenhouses to power generation. However, as noted by others it is not a panacea: the sun cannot be used for much of the year and expensive back-up is then required. This balance needs evaluation in every case and is rarely favourable to solar.
Solar energy is not only PV but also wind energy. Both combine favorable and can be backed up with batteries, which are getting cheaper every year.
Owners of oil and coal are not pleased with this and tried for decades to slow down the neccessary transition to clean energy, because their assets will be stranded if most of our energy needs are reached with solar energy.
They used lobbying and manipulation of the media to lie to politicans and all people about climate change and the costs of environmental destruction.
On the long they will fail, but they got their profits. We should make them pay for the destruction they made.
Gerhard Herres Maybe then you can explain why China and India generate the lowest cost electricity in the world primarily from coal? The UK, which has abandoned coal now has the highest electricity prices in G7 and is becoming an industrial wasteland. Fear-campaign politics related to "Net zero" have been used to brainwash the UK population into accepting this disaster: it seems that you are also a victim!
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