What I Read This Month

California hits new renewables milestone, supply bottlenecks slow the scramble to build data centers, and China dumps so many solar panels on the world market that they're being used as garden fences.

Apr 30, 2024

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Caught My Attention…

Global glut turns solar panels into garden fencing option (Financial Times). Global supply will reach 1,100 gigawatts by the end of this year, 3x the present forecast for demand, the International Energy Agency estimates. A glut of manufacturing in China is driving this trend, it said.

Climate Doom Is Out. ‘Apocalyptic Optimism’ Is In (NYT). As an eternal optimist, I believe that there is an eventual future in which the climate crisis is managed and humanity thrives. I also believe that leadership is about storytelling and stories are the vehicles of our greatest aspirations. However, as I watch or read some of the more hopeful takes on climate, I am concerned about the lack of focus on the role of responsibility and agency in any brighter future.

I’m a firm believer in the principles of responsibility and hard work, themes I've explored in previous writings where I've invoked both scripture and Spider-Man's Uncle Ben to make the point that true progress is not without sacrifice. I continue to hold the view that optimism and peace of mind should be earned, not handed out freely. A hopeful future is a story of shared aspiration and action. What are you actually building, measurably changing, physically redefining to make a planet with 8 billion people a better place tomorrow than it was today?

We don't need to be soothed, we need to be motivated. We don't need to be calmed, we need to be inspired. Hope is the reward of shared struggle and dedication. Show me the streaming special that gets folks off the couch and into the trenches.