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There are some examples of renewable energy success right now in this world. Over 98% of electricity in British Columbia is generated by clean, renewable sources. Norway generates about 98% from renewables as well. This northern European country also leads in electric vehicles, as in fully electric vehicles, not hybrids which use fossil fuels. Costa Rica runs almost entirely on clean, renewable electricity.
South Australia does not have such a high percentage of its electricity produced by renewables yet, but this part of Australia is moving toward the goal. “South Australia generated 84 percent of its electricity from solar and wind in the last quarter of 2025, the highest share of any major grid in the world. The state plans to reach 100 percent by the end of next year.”
While some people have latched onto the false belief that solar and wind power cost more than fossil fuel power plants, they actually cost less and their power does as well. “This pressure on renewables is driving down electricity prices. Australian Independent Energy Market Operator (AEMO) latest news shows the average wholesale electricity price in South Australia fell by 30 per cent in the last quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year. As a result, the state had the lowest price in Australia, along with Victoria, which has the second highest share of wind and solar power in the country.”
There seems to be something missing from the reasoning where some claim the free market supports competition, but the same people want to stick to fossil fuels and exclude solar power, wind power, geothermal, hydropower, and wave power from the energy market. The same people may try to claim renewables are not competitive in the free market because they sometimes receive government subsidies, while not recognizing fossil fuels also receive or have received government subsidies.
Another blind spot, or it may simply be lying, is the exclusion of other costs associated with fossil fuels that clean, renewable electricity does not have. In Australia, climate change impacts may be adding costs in the billions every year, per The Guardian. “In the 2020s, extreme weather has been responsible for $4.5bn in claims annually on average, the ICA report said. The three events declared as insurance catastrophes in 2025 alone generated nearly $2bn in claims, most of which related to housing.”
Toxic air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels harms human health and contributes to premature human deaths, according to the Climate Council.
“It’s been found that over three times as many Australians are dying prematurely from air pollution than those in traffic accidents. In 2021, outdoor air pollution in Australia was linked to an estimated 4,250 premature deaths, more than triple the 1,130 deaths that occurred in car accidents that year. Among Australians, 8% of diabetes deaths, 6% of ischemic heart disease deaths and 4% of lung cancer deaths are linked to air pollution.
“Air pollution is harming the health and wellbeing of Australians to the tune of $6.2 billion per year. Experts say that exposure to air pollution, even for short periods of time at levels below our national standards, harms the health of Australians.”
If all the costs from climate change impacts and harming collective human health are included in the costs of using fossil fuels, fossil fuels clearly cost more than clean, renewables. What consumers pay for electricity is not the true cost given a full accounting of all the costs involved, including negative externalities.
Even so, what consumers pay in South Australia reportedly has increased. “Worse still, gas prices in Australia have risen by 500 per cent since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Buckley says.”
In this statement, we can see fossil fuel prices can fluctuate greatly which financially stresses consumers. Also, fossil fuels are sometimes tied to overly aggressive leaders who try to manipulate other countries, threaten them or in some cases even invade them by starting wars. They are called ‘petro dictators’ and their aggression sometimes injures and kills people in senseless wars. There are obviously huge costs associated with their corrupt conduct.
Finally, in traditional energy systems, consumers don’t have choices other than fossil fuels. With home solar power, home wind power, home battery systems, and electric personal transportation, consumers can become energy independent and control their own generation and consumption.
Utility-scale renewables with energy storage plus home solar and home batteries can replace all fossil fuels eventually.
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