Most people are wrong about energy
The 10 mistakes that are holding us back
Zion Lights
May 13, 2025
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
When it comes to energy, especially in conversations about climate change and renewables, there’s no shortage of hot takes and misconceptions.
Energy is complicated, and in the middle of a global push for decarbonisation, getting the basics right matters. So here are ten mistakes people make when they talk about energy.
1. Equating “renewables” with just wind and solar power
Ask most people what renewables are, and they'll say wind and solar power: the poster children of renewable energy. But even with significant finances being poured into them, the largest source of renewable electricity in the world isn’t either of them. It’s hydropower.
Massive hydroelectric dams across China, Brazil, Canada and elsewhere generate more clean power than all the world’s solar panels put together. While hydro is geographically restricted, it’s still worth remembering that it’s the most reliable clean form of renewable energy, and quite different to wind and solar, even though they get lumped together as if they are equals.
And then there’s biomass - the messy cousin no one likes to talk about, which still makes up a good chunk of the “renewable” pie in Europe.
https://zionlights.substack.com/p/most-people-are-wrong-about-energy
