During 2024, solar energy technologies provided 2.7% of all energy consumed in the United States. For nearly half a century, the U.S. government has heavily subsidized solar while discouraging the use of competing energy sources through taxes and regulations. Because solar panels only generate electricity when the sun is shining, and utility-scale electricity can’t be easily stored, most solar power capacity must be backed-up by other energy sources that can generate electricity on demand, such as natural gas power plants. This limits solar production and increases the hidden costs of solar. Relying on solar as a major energy source can also contribute to electricity blackouts during dangerous weather conditions. In Germany, which subsidizes “green energy” more aggressively than the U.S., the average price of household electricity is 3.5 times that of the United States.