I’ve just picked up my New Year read—a collection of solarpunk short stories. If you’re wondering, what is solarpunk, and why does it matter? Here’s the heart of it:
“Solarpunk is about finding ways to make life more wonderful for us right now, and more importantly for the generations that follow us—extending human life at the species level, rather than individually.”
This line, from the article Solarpunk: Notes Toward a Manifesto, hits home for me.
Whether you’re in renewables, EVs, batteries, heat pumps, or sustainability, this is what we do. Every day, we’re working to make life better now and for the future. We’re cleaning up transportation, clearing smog from our skies, and creating sustainable ways to live. We believe in a world that doesn’t self-destruct—a world that can and should, be better.
But let’s not forget the “punk” in solarpunk. This isn’t just about optimism; it’s about rebellion, about challenging the status quo. Sustainability is still on the fringe or worse, co-opted by bureaucracy and vested interests. Just glance at the latest COP headlines to see how progress can get bogged down.
Solarpunk isn’t only about technology—it’s about values. Freedom, ingenuity, mutual respect, independence, community—these are the counterpoints to the individualistic quantification of life on one end and the encroaching digital surveillance state on the other.
To all my fellow solarpunks out there: keep going! Keep building, innovating, and dreaming of a better world. Let’s make 2025 a year of progress, creativity, and hope!
Happy New Year!