Here's something worth thinking about. A coal or natural gas power plant has two costs: the plant itself, and the fuel it burns every day. When fuel prices spike — like they are now — your electricity bill goes up too, because your utility is paying more for fuel.

A solar farm has one cost: building it. After that, the fuel is free. Same with wind. And in most of the country, new solar and wind are already cheaper to build than new coal or gas plants — even before you factor in the fuel they'll never have to buy.

That doesn't mean renewables are perfect. The sun doesn't always shine. The wind doesn't always blow. Energy storage is getting cheaper, but it's not free. These are real challenges.

But here's what's not debatable: every kilowatt-hour that comes from a source with no fuel cost is one that can't be affected by a war, a pipeline shutdown, or an OPEC decision. That's not an environmental argument. That's a price stability argument.

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Two costs vs. one cost: A fossil fuel power plant pays for both construction and ongoing fuel. A solar or wind farm only pays for construction — after that, the "fuel" (sunlight, wind) is free. This means once a renewable plant is built, its operating cost is nearly fixed and largely immune to global commodity markets.

Solar and wind are now the cheapest new electricity. The EIA's Annual Energy Outlook shows that new solar and onshore wind are cost-competitive with or cheaper than new natural gas combined cycle plants in most U.S. regions, even without subsidies. Lazard's 2025 LCOE analysis confirms: solar PV LCOE is $38-92/MWh, compared to gas combined cycle at $48-107/MWh and new nuclear at $141-220/MWh. (EIA Annual Energy Outlook; Lazard LCOE+ 2025)

Fuel cost volatility hits your electric bill. Natural gas prices spiked during the 2022 Ukraine invasion and again during the 2026 Iran war. These costs pass directly to electricity ratepayers through utility fuel adjustment charges. Wisconsin's electricity mix is about 40% natural gas and 30% coal — both subject to global commodity price swings.

"You can't weaponize the sun." RFF board member Catherine Wolfram used this phrase to capture why renewables offer a hedge against geopolitical risk. Unlike oil, gas, and coal, sunlight and wind have no global price and cannot be disrupted by wars or embargoes. (Resources for the Future)

Energy storage is the remaining challenge. Lithium-ion battery costs have fallen roughly 90% since 2010 and continue to decline. Storage adds cost to renewable projects but is increasingly competitive, especially for 4-hour duration applications. Wisconsin's first large-scale battery storage facility came online in Kenosha County in 2025. (BloombergNEF)

Related Civic Minute segments: Where Does Your Electricity Come From? (CM-34), What Energy Independence Actually Means (CM-38), When Gas Prices Spike, Your Grid Gets Dirtier (CM-41)