Record solar yields in Europe: The summers of recent years have been extremely profitable for PV system operators. While nature suffered under the unrelenting heat of the sun, millions of PV systems were busy producing green power. And this is how PV system operator Vincent Illian is becoming increasingly independent from electric utility companies – right in the heart of Germany.

Less than USD 25 per megawatt-hour of solar power — these kinds of prices are not uncommon any more in sunny regions. Thanks to its continuously falling costs, photovoltaics is on the right track to becoming the world’s most cost-effective source of energy. It thus totally makes environmental and financial sense to build new PV systems rather than continue to rely on conventional power plants.

The strategy consultancy Oliver Wyman states in a study that the coal phase-out could lead to an enormous increase in electricity prices and endanger the security of supply. For economic reasons, gas-fired power plants must now be increasingly used. Is it a coincidence that this so closely supports the opinion of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy that natural gas is vital?

Despite the valid criticism, the two important climate events that took place last week – the presentation of the German Federal Government’s climate package and the results of the UN Climate Action Summit – represent a start, at least in some areas. It is now a question of maintaining pressure to give us a chance of achieving the 1.5-degree goal.

Even though there has been a lot of negative news for the climate in the media in recent weeks, it is still worth taking to the streets for more climate protection. Tomorrow's global climate demonstrations are supposed to demonstrate: The time for talking is over, now we need decisive action.

Combined with intelligently managed battery-storage systems, photovoltaics provides a reliable supply of electricity around the clock exactly where it is needed. At the same time, it is helping support grids. With the costs of solar energy and batteries decreasing, nothing stands in the way of their increased expansion.

No company alone can master the complexity resulting from the decentralization and digitalization of the energy supply. Close cooperation among specialists from different fields is vital for creating a sustainable, reliable, low-cost and highly convenient energy supply.

A political consensus at the international level is still a long time coming despite the great urgency for effective climate protection. We should therefore now assume more national responsibility and quickly introduce a carbon tax. Other countries such as Great Britain, Sweden and Switzerland have long since done so.

The European elections once again made it clear that climate protection is becoming a central issue for more and more people Even after the elections, effective countermeasures by politicians are not yet in sight. This means that it is all the more important that companies take the initiative.

Sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg from Sweden has initiated a worldwide movement with Fridays for Future, which each week reminds us adults anew that we finally have to act to prevent climate change and leave behind a planet for future generations that offers them a livelihood.