Renewable Energy Getting Cheaper Every Day – What is The Potential Impact For Consumers and Investors?

The best friend of earth of man is the tree.

When we use the tree respectfully and economically,

we have one of the greatest resources on the earth.

– Frank Lloyd Wright

Some say we’ve arrived at the critical junction where fossil fuels – the old gunslinger, and alternative energy, the sleek new upstart, meet for a winner take all shootout.  But in fact, if we are honest, it’s not really like that – both are needed at this time to satisfy global demand. But the trend can’t be ignored and the related investment opportunities are becoming more clear.  

What makes it more competitive is the dramatic reduction in the cost of alternative solutions, as well as the promise of new tax incentives. Research from Our World Data shows that the cost of renewables has drastically fallen from 2010 by over 80% with offshore wind coming on as one of the strongest difference makers. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) renewables are now undercutting fossil fuels as the world’s cheapest source of energy.

This issue of the Socially Inspired Investor Digest and Podcast examines the progress made in the new economics of sustainable energy.  We think you’ll enjoy hearing from our PODCAST guest Peter Fusaro a well-regarded expert in the field.  We also thank our SPOTLIGHT contributors who share their views on the topic.

Enjoy this issue.

Renewable Energy Getting Cheaper Every Day – What is The Potential Impact For Consumers and Investors?

We reached out to leading experts in SRI and ESG to find out their responses, and this is what we found…

QUESTIONRenewable energy is getting cheaper every day – What is the potential impact for consumers and investors?

ANSWERNimet Vural, Sustainability, Accountability and Corporate Finance

ANSWERThe domination of Fossil fuels around the World is changing dramatically, instead, Renewable Energies are getting more acceptable. In most places around the World, Renewables are cheaper than Fossil Fuels.

ANSWERWhy can this be? Why do we see that Renewable Energy Costs are declining so fast? There are multiple reasons for it.

ANSWERFirstly, the cost of Fossil Fuel and Nuclear Power depends on the fact that the prices of Fuel mostly burn and the Power Plants’ operational costs. On the other hand, the Renewable Energy System is completely different compared to Fossil Fuels. Their operational costs are not only low but at the same time, they don’t pay anything for fuel.

ANSWERWhat is more, the role of the Portfolio Standards requires Electric Utilities and other retail Electric providers to supply a specified minimum percentage of Customer demand with eligible sources of Renewable Electricity. Several studies show that Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) help the stringency, and demand elasticity influences only the magnitude of the price effect. 

QUESTIONRenewable energy is getting cheaper every day – What is the potential impact for consumers and investors?

ANSWERJack Casady, Director of Marketing at YourStake

ANSWERWe’ve seen many investors want to align their portfolios with renewable energy and renewable technologies to help create meaningful impact on the planet. With the high cost reduction in these renewable energy technologies, not only do they often make better investments, but many companies are shifting their energy suppliers to these renewable sources and lowering their carbon emissions all with lower costs.

QUESTIONRenewable energy is getting cheaper every day – What is the potential impact for consumers and investors?

ANSWERCarly Turner, MSc Candidate Sustainable Resources: Economics, Policy & Transitions at University College London

ANSWERRenewable energy is getting cheaper which indicates the viability of decoupling economic growth and environmental degradation in the form of increasing carbon emissions. In my opinion, leaning into natural assets such as wind and solar energy is a far more viable strategy to meet decarbonization targets than far-off technologies such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The decreasing costs of these technologies are indicative of system change which is a product of shifting consumer demand, policy reform, and new business models, all of which may be interpreted as a signal that economies are modernizing. There is a tremendous opportunity for investors to further this change by investing in renewables and continuing to scale operations to bring down costs so that consumers have access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy and therefore, consider renewable energy a norm rather than an alternative.

QUESTIONRenewable energy is getting cheaper every day – What is the potential impact for consumers and investors?

ANSWERRachel “Indy” Svetanoff, Impactvest Podcast Host

ANSWERElectricity is the bedrock for modern society, and renewable energy is a sign of society advancing forward with its collective consciousness. Not only does it help restore the natural world, but renewable energy is also an opportunity to shine a light on those left in the dark, namely the underserved and marginalized communities. With costs lowering, there is a historic opportunity to reduce multidimensional poverty in a way that uplifts the quality of life for all of us.  

QUESTIONRenewable energy is getting cheaper every day – What is the potential impact for consumers and investors?

ANSWERShawn Cain, Finance Student at Suffolk University “23

ANSWERRenewable energy groundwork has been happening for decades but now we’re seeing more and more adoption and investing across the board. New financial tools like green insurance and green bonds are helping get impactful projects started. Since every industry is pricing in climate change and taking steps to reverse it, the renewable energy industry is coalescing faster than ever.

QUESTIONRenewable energy is getting cheaper every day – What is the potential impact for consumers and investors?

ANSWERChristianne Carin, Managing Director, CEO, Stellars LLC, | ESG Impact-Investment Management | Serial Entrepreneur & Inventor

ANSWERFocused impact-investments in innovative on-site and off-grid renewable power generation solutions for communities, agriculture and onshore manufacturing is significantly cheaper than using fossil fuels to produce electricity while also reducing omissions. Proof: According to the EIA’s chart U.S. electricity flow, 2021, fossil fuel operators consumed more energy to generate electricity than the energy provided by their fossil fuel inputs due to their high conversion losses. This loss was supplemented by renewable energy and nuclear electric power, which also provided all the energy required for the generation of electricity for end users.

QUESTIONRenewable energy is getting cheaper every day – What is the potential impact for consumers and investors?

ANSWERFranz Hochstrasser, CEO and Co-Founder, Raise Green

ANSWERWith dirty fossil fuel prices spiking at the pump and in power plants, and solar and wind surpassing gas as the cheapest form of energy in most places across the world, it has never been a better time to make your money do good by investing in the clean energy future. For those who are overwhelmed by the climate crisis and tired of being told to recycle and petition their way out of it, Raise Green is the community finance platform that enables every American to join the ranks of the heroic entrepreneurs and innovators powering the transition from dirty to clean energy.