It's not cheaper when you factor in the batteries, the need for sophisticated electric grids, etc. China and India continue to build huge amounts of coal power. It's not because they're too stupid to buy the cheaper option.
it is still cheaper. In the past decade, China has gone from their electricity being from 66% coal to under 58% this year, with the amount of wind and solar climbing from <5% to >12% over the same period. Their coal usage has gone up in absolute terms, but at current rates of solar and wind expansion that will reverse itself in the next 5 years with coal plants used increasingly as peaker plants. The only reason China is building coal plants still is that global pv production isn't sufficient to transition all power to it immediately.
It's not cheaper when you factor in the batteries, the need for sophisticated electric grids, etc. China and India continue to build huge amounts of coal power. It's not because they're too stupid to buy the cheaper option.
it is still cheaper. In the past decade, China has gone from their electricity being from 66% coal to under 58% this year, with the amount of wind and solar climbing from <5% to >12% over the same period. Their coal usage has gone up in absolute terms, but at current rates of solar and wind expansion that will reverse itself in the next 5 years with coal plants used increasingly as peaker plants. The only reason China is building coal plants still is that global pv production isn't sufficient to transition all power to it immediately.