this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2026
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This was inevitable, there's no mass AI without solar (for better or worse). Solar is critical to utility scale power even before additional consumption!
It really isn't.
Hydroelectric and geothermal are utility scale renewable energy. Solar just drives up electricity prices.
???
hydroelectric has serious issues with mixed use land management and doesn't scale all that much. solar arrays can be located many differeot places and don't require the land be used only in one way.
this is the first time i've ever seen someone claim solar drives up utility prices and it was even a huge "problem" in california that the utility companies in 2024 that supply outstripped demand to the extent that the utility companies were paying customers to consume extra energy during low demand hours to keep the grid from getting overwhelmed.
i'd be curious to learn more about what you're saying about solar not scaling as well as hydroelecric because this runs counter to everything i've read since the mid 00s when solar panels saw a great increase in their efficacy