Green is king

Wind and solar are leading a renewables revolution, but they'll need some help too along the way

In virtually every global market, renewable energy is now the preferred choice for new power generation. Populist politicians and resources lobby groups can try to stem the tide, but they can't reverse the cost curves. Climate and sustainability goals are now secondary drivers as renewable energy keeps proving to be the lowest-cost option. When it is cheaper in Saudi Arabia to use solar power than burn oil or gas you realise how far the technology has progressed. We have been so absorbed by the sustained cost reductions in solar it has been easy to overlook what the wind industry has done. The ability to extract higher production from low-wind-speed sites has dramatically increased the numbe