OK, here's the context. Devoid of distractions, straw man arguments, for the avoidance of answers to questions that would prove these distractions!
Wind and solar are the fastest-growing sources of electricity in history ... Wind and solar have expanded from 0.2% of the global electricity mix in 2000 to 13.4% in 2023! Worldwide solar and wind power generation has outpaced electricity demand this year (2025*), and for the first time on record, renewable energy combined generated more power than coal, according to a new analysis. Solar power is the fastest-growing energy source globally and in the U.S. over the last decade. Driven by a 99.9% reduction in costs since 1975, solar capacity increased over eightfold in the U.S. between 2014 and 2023. It has led to the addition of new power generation capacity for multiple consecutive years.
The reasons for this adoption have been explained factually multiple times here (cost/LCOE, time to build, safety, renewability, and more, including the effects on the climate).
Pay attention to the facts as they are, not as you wish them to be.
Got any photos to show us, Ray? Help yourself out of the hole. 
*https://apnews.com/article/climate-renewable-wind-solar-coal-electricity-demand-abf7b587b038bf7580de1baee6576bbc
"-Pay attention to the facts as they are, not as you wish them to be."Good point! This highlights the difference between us. You accept as true facts what a group of 'so-called' authorities on a subject claim to be facts, whereas I try to consider all sides of the issue, and question the claimed facts if something doesn't seem quite right, using reason and logic.
I get all my information about climate, weather predictions, cost of energy resources, harmful and positive effects, and so on, from studies available on the internet, or from reading books relatated to the issue, and of course personal experience when that's relevant.
An example of personal experience, is the uncertainty of weather forecasts just a few days into the future. Sometimes, they are completely wrong.
I have no objection to the development of alternative sources of energy. But, I do object to the misrepresentation of the true costs.
Roof-top solar and battery storage has recently surged in Australia. Being curious about the role of government subsidies, and whether these 'home' solar systems with battery storage would be a good investment for home-owners if there were no government subsidies, I did an internet search, and here are the results.
“Without any government subsidies, the return on investment (ROI) for a combined rooftop solar and battery storage system in Australia is currently estimated between 8 and 15 years.
While solar panels alone typically pay for themselves within 3 to 6 years, the high upfront cost of batteries significantly extends the total payback period when no rebates are applied.
Estimated Payback Periods (No Subsidies)
The timeframe varies based on your location, energy usage, and the size of the system:
Solar Panels (Standalone): 3–6 years without subsidies, though most Australian systems currently benefit from federal STC rebates that reduce this further.
Battery Storage (Standalone): 8–15 years. Modern lithium batteries often have a 10-year warranty, meaning the system may only just break even within its guaranteed lifespan without financial assistance.
Combined System: 8–12 years. High-usage households (e.g., those with electric vehicles or high evening air conditioning use) generally see faster returns.
Current Market Costs (February 2026)
Without subsidies, you would be paying the full “gross” cost of the equipment and installation:
Component Typical Capacity Estimated Gross Cost (No Rebates)
Solar PV System 6.6 kW $5,500 – $9,000
Battery Storage 10 kWh $9,000 – $15,000
Combined Total N/A $14,500 – $24,000+"
I actually accept that roof-top solar will become a more sensible and practical option in the near future, especially as less expensive Sodium-ion battery technology develops. I think it's far more sensible to use the 'free' space of a roof for solar panels, which also do not require long transmission lines, rather than building solar farms with long transmission lines.
However, we should not ignore the 'claimed' fact that:
"Solar and battery manufacturing are currently heavily dependent on coal, primarily because production is concentrated in regions with coal-dominant energy grids.
Globally, coal generates over 60% of the electricity used for solar PV manufacturing. This is significantly higher than coal's roughly 36% share of total global power generation.
This dependency is largely due to China's dominance in the sector, where it produces over 90% of the world's polysilicon.
Beyond electricity, coal is used as a reducing agent in silicon smelting. It reacts with silicon oxide to produce metallurgical-grade silicon.
Approximately 77% to 85% of the world's lithium-ion batteries are manufactured in China, where coal is the primary energy source."
