Europe has survived 3 energy shocks in 4 years. The only way out is to stop buying power from its enemies | Fortune
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Oil above $100. Gas prices up 70%. Every crisis has a different trigger—and the same vulnerability. Europe must become the world's first Electro-Continent.
  • CosmoNova@lemmy.worldEnglish
    516·
    4 days ago

    Stop buying solar panels anf wind turbines from China, then? I‘m afraid things really aren‘t that simple but I agree we need a long term plan yesterday.

    • Szewek@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      301·
      4 days ago

      Well, we actually produce our wind turbines - and most wind turbines outside of China (https://sopuli.xyz/post/30659580).

      And it is different with solar panels than with oil & gas. If China stops exporting the panels today, well, the ones we bought will continue working for decades. If oil and gas stop flowing, we will run out of them in months, if not weeks.

    • earlstilt@feddit.ukEnglish
      16·
      4 days ago

      You seem to be conflating energy with energy generation/conversion equipment, one of these is a consumable they are not the same

      • CosmoNova@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        3 days ago

        You seem to think there is absolutely no reliance on China by buying and relying on their tech. Or that it doesn‘t fuel their next invasion all the same. It does.

        Besides, if you think buying turbines, panels and storage systems from China in 2026 is a one and done deal you‘re mistaken. They know how they work. They can shut them off if we sanction them. And they will give us many reasons to sanction them sooner rather than later.

        And yet I still think we should buy them because we simply are out of alternatives. I also feel confident we can eventually turn them on again if they press the kill switch. And on top of that we will re-develop a domestic renewable energy industry that will make us much more independent.

        But it will be painful. We will supply our enemy with money for their next war until then. I have no illusions about that.

    • Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      71·
      4 days ago

      Even if that was the only option, which it is not; a tank of gas is used up and must be replenished constantly, a solar panel is like a free gas station that lasts a really long time. Like a really long time. Gas? Use it and there is no gas no more, and you have to buy more gas, again and again and again.

      So if china one day stops selling solar panels, we’ll have decades of time to figure out what to do, not days or weeks.