Climate Action
7 Crazy Things About Renewable Energy
June 15, 2025
June 15th marks not one but two significant environmental observances: National Electricity Day and Global Wind Day. What better time to spotlight renewable energy which can provide us with the least emitting way to get our electricity while preserving our health and our wallets.
Never in the history of society have humans used less electricity. Electricity has never been more crucial to society. It powers our technology, drives innovation, and keeps communities running smoothly.
Here are 7 surprising and inspiring things you might not know about renewable energy:
1) Many Red Cities are Adopting Renewable Energy
When you think about solar panels and wind turbines, you might imagine them in only the most blue areas of the US. The reality is that renewable energy is being embraced all across the country.
There are many in traditionally conservative areas who are becoming trailblazers in renewable energy. Iowa City hit its 2030 emissions goal of 45% a decade early, thanks to wind power and their innovative housing program, incentivizing upgrades that save energy for landlords that accept low-income housing vouchers. Denton, Texas, powers all their homes and businesses with 100% renewables and stands to save over $500 million in the next two decades. Salt Lake City’s solar efforts cut about 100,000 metric tons of emissions and saving taxpayers $1 million annually. Meanwhile, Utah has a statewide coalition that could soon deliver clean electricity to 2.8 million people by 2030. Nashville is scaling solar and geothermal systems, Mesquite, Texas is now home to a major solar manufacturing hub creating 1,500 jobs, and Boise has set a bold goal of reaching 100% clean electricity by 2035, backed by strong public support.
Though clean energy is often wrapped in political debate, the results speak for themselves. Across party lines and state borders, cities are embracing renewables not because of ideology, but because the economic, environmental, and health benefits are too compelling to ignore. To learn more about the amazing work these cities are doing in the energy realm, read Evan Raskin’s article 6 Unexpected American Cities Leading the Way in Renewable Energy!
2) A Job-Creating Engine
Clean energy isn’t just good for the planet; it’s one of the fastest-growing job sectors in the world. As the global economy shifts, an estimated 14 million new jobs could be created in clean energy industries by 2030. These roles span a wide spectrum, from solar panel installation and wind turbine maintenance to electric vehicle manufacturing, battery storage, grid modernization, and research in energy efficiency.
While about 3.8 million jobs tied to fossil fuels may be phased out during this transition, clean energy has the potential to generate more than three times as many. However, realizing this potential requires a thoughtful and inclusive approach. Workforce retraining programs, union protections, and federal investment in so-called “just transition” policies are critical to help displaced workers enter the renewable sector with the skills and stability they need. The shift isn’t just about replacing one job with another, it’s about creating better paying, safer, and more sustainable employment opportunities in communities that have historically depended on extractive industries.
3) It’s Cheap… and Getting Cheaper
Whoever told you renewable energy was just for the rich was wrong. Today, it’s the most affordable option in most parts of the world. Solar and wind are now the cheapest sources of power for 67% of the global population.
In the last decade alone, the cost of onshore wind energy has dropped by 68%, while offshore wind prices have fallen 60%. That’s not just good news for the climate, it’s a win for utility bills everywhere.
4) You Can Store Solar Energy in Salt
Salt doesn’t just preserve food, it preserves energy too! Thanks to molten-salt technology, solar energy can now be stored for up to a week, making it available even when the sun isn’t shining.
Here’s how it works: sunlight is used to heat salt to 131 degrees Celsius (or 267.8 degrees Fahrenheit), turning it into a molten liquid which is then stored in insulated tanks to maintain the heat. If this solar energy is properly insulated it can store the thermal energy, or the energy created by the movement of atoms and molecules that have been heated by sunlight, for up to a week. Then, when energy is needed, the hot salt is used to generate steam to power turbines, which is what is used in most power plants.
5) Use the Sun to Brush Your Teeth
I am sure you often do ponder where the energy to power your appliances comes from. Believe it or not, it can come from solar even if you do not have panels on your home. Enter the solar-powered toothbrush.
First envisioned by Dr. Yoshinori Nakagaina and later developed by Dr. Kunio Komiyama, the Soladey-J3X uses a photosensitive titanium dioxide rod. This miner, a mineral, when exposed to light and saliva, triggers a chemical reaction, breaking down plaque on teeth. Battery not included…because it is not needed!
6) It’s Not New… It’s Old!
While solar panels and wind farms may seem like modern marvels, the origins of renewable energy stretch back thousands of years.
Solar energy was first scientifically described in 1839 by Alexandre Edmond Becquerel, who discovered the photovoltaic effect. The solar cell followed in 1941, and NASA adopted solar tech in the 1950s. Wind power dates back to 5,000 BC, when Egyptians used it to sail the Nile, and by the late 1800s, wind turbines were generating electricity. Hydropower’s roots trace to the 1700s, and geothermal springs were used for cooking and bathing in ancient Rome, India, China, and beyond. Even tidal energy has a long history. In medieval Europe, people built tide mills that harnessed the ebb and flow of seawater to turn millstones.
Renewable energy isn’t the new thing, it’s just making a strong comeback.
7) The Sun Could Power the World for a Year in Just One Hour
Perhaps the most mind-blowing fact of all: enough sunlight hits the Earth every hour to meet humanity’s energy needs for an entire year.
Solar panels, using photovoltaic cells, which are what convert this sunlight into electricity that powers everything from homes and hospitals to public transportation and, yes, toothbrushes. Harnessing even a fraction of this power efficiently could radically change the world’s energy landscape.
Renewable energy stands to shape our future in a positive way. This is why we at EARTHDAY.ORG chose the theme Our Power, Our Planet for Earth Day 2025, advocating for a triple in renewable energy generation globally by 2030. Join us in this movement by finding an action on Earth Action Day webpage.
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