by Anne Hedges
Every day can feel like a sprint filled with a constant bombardment of chaos, deregulation, cruelty and autocratic behavior in Washington, D.C. It’s impossible to keep up – and that’s the point. This administration wants you to check out, give up, and acquiesce to its authority. We, like many millions of others in this country, refuse to do that. This issue is full of resistance by MEIC staff, members, and allies, and we will continue that resistance for the duration.
While we fight for a better future, it’s easy to lose sight of what motivates and encourages us. When our Congressional delegation relinquishes its role in the balance of power and instead votes to further consolidate power… when they advocate for giving billions of taxpayer-funded subsidies to the fossil fuel industry while taking away healthcare and services from millions of hardworking Americans… But instead of embracing hopelessness, as this administration wants, we can (and should) find joy.
Poet Toi Derricotte says, “Joy is an act of resistance,” and in the midst of the chaos, we cannot lose sight of those things that fill our soul, such as enjoying the outdoors, laughing with friends and family, and realizing that there are good things happening in the world that we should celebrate.
One of my best antidotes to the daily slog of news is knowing that the pace of solar energy deployment around the world is exponential and unprecedented. That’s not hyperbole, it’s fact.
Solar power is growing faster than any energy source in history. It took about eight years for solar energy to go from 110 terrawatt hours (TWhrs) to 1000 TWhrs, and it only took three years to go from 1000 TWhrs to 2000 TWhrs, growing 29% in 2024 alone. Wind in the second fastest-growing generation.
In 2024, solar energy added twice as much new energy to global systems as any other source – three times as much as new coal generation and nearly five times as much as methane gas. Last year, renewables added 858 TWhrs, nearly 50% more than the previous record increase in 2022, and solar energy was responsible for most of that. Solar and wind energy combined provide 15% of global electricity, more than all of the hydropower in the world.
In April 2025, solar generated more energy than nuclear energy and was the fourth largest power source in the world. All of this means that solar power has displaced what would have otherwise been a 12% increase to global fossil fuel generation.
In the last five years, 99 countries have doubled the amount of electricity they produce from solar, including emerging economies like South Africa and Brazil, but also more established countries like China (where solar contributes 12% of generation), Chile (22%), Australia (18%), and Brazil, which has now realized 10% of their generation from solar, despite being at only 1% five years ago.
So while the U.S. stalls out its energy transition, it’s heartening to know that the rest of the world has not. While it means that the U.S. may lose its status as a leader and driver of technological change and Americans will pay the price for that regressive behavior, the rest of the world is not sitting idly by. They are going forward.
When the opportunity rises, we will be ready to right the wrongs and fix the trajectory of energy development in this country. In the meantime, we need to stay strong, resilient, and find moments of joy to sustain us. This is a marathon – we need to maintain our resolve and fight for every step forward
This article was published in the September 2025 issue of Down To Earth.
