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Neywiny | on: Wind and solar generated more power than gas globally in April 2026
I think you've missed that all generators have upfront cost. That's why the monetary payoff time for installing solar is non-zero. Versus a backup generator you're paying 2-3x the cost upfront. And yes we know the running cost is almost 0, the maintenance is almost nothing, etc etc, but I could see that argument not holding as much water as we need it to.
ted_dunning | parent | next
The adoption rate in places like Australia and even Texas is what demonstrates that the argument holds water.

People wouldn't be rushing to shift entire markets at the observed rates if the economics were upside down. It is the soundness of the economic model that is driving the adoption even against tariffs and subversion by the current US regime.

eldaisfish | root | parent
How do you explain the fact that the average residential electricity price is higher in Australia than in most of the US?

This is not as simple as people here make it out to be.

Consider also that solar is profitable today because it does not set the price of electricity in most markets. In a world where solar dominates, the prices of electricity could be negative. The economics of negative electricity prices becoming the norm are not yet fully understood.

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Retric | parent | next
Loans transfer upfront costs into operating costs, thus making upfront costs largely meaningless for anyone with access to cheap credit.
crote | parent | next
Solar also has incredibly low upfront costs: 400W panels are available for less than $100 / each these days.
runtime_terror | parent | next
Are you talking backup generator vs solar for a home?

If so, solar continually supplies power without paying for an input vs a backup generator which is only meant to run infrequently and is costly to run and requires you to pay for inputs and of course maintenance of an ICE.

It's kinda an apples/oranges comparison

foxyv | parent
> I think you've missed that all generators have upfront cost.

Why do you say this?

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