The debate about coal vs. renewable energy is nothing new in Australia. But the current bush fire crisis has put the issue into sharper focus. Of course the first concern is for the people, animals and land affected by this fire. Huge areas have been hit with devastating consequences. One of the reasons the fires are so bad this year is that Australia has been experiencing one of the worst droughts in decades. That, along with record summer temperatures, have created a literal fire storm. The burning of coal is the largest contributor to the human-made increase of CO2 in the atmosphere which in turn leads to climate change. The difficult political environment around power production was part of the struggle early solar pioneers in Queensland faced. Today the fires in Australia prove once again that a solution is needed to keep the world a livable place.
