[kushankpoddar]

There is a point of view out there that Europe's higher than average reliance on renewables has bumped up electricity prices there and contributed in making the place less competitive for industries. You can see that argument in action when European miners are losing out to others due to high power costs.

[leroman]

If this is really the case (I am not informed enough), is that so bad in the face of global warming?

[dmichulke]

Generally speaking, any slowdown in economic activity will lead to a slowdown in global warming. The question is always: is the new equilibrium better or worse for all involved? (Think of the unemployed)

I think a better metric would be $GDP / ton CO2 to see who's efficient and who's not. Unfortunately, GDP numbers are not really standardized, at least countrys' individual way of calculation GDP varies greatly.

[pjc50]

Wikipedia have a list of the numbers, with or without PPP compensation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_ratio_of_...

It seems the keys to doing well on that scale are:

- be a small African country without oil (low CO2/low GDP)

- be a financial services exporter (Switzerland, Ireland, UK)

The countries which are doing badly seem to be central Asian former USSR states, petro-states, China, and Zimbabwe.

[blattimwind]

That point of view seems rather uninformed, because industrial and residential pricing of electricity, gas etc. are virtually unrelated, and the former doesn't include new extra taxes for renewables in any country I know.

[kushankpoddar]

You are going to be biased towards renewables because there is "wind" in your username.

Jokes apart, this analysis greatly substantiates that point of view: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=18851