The article “World Energy Hits a Turning Point: Solar That’s Cheaper Than Wind” by Tom Randall published at the end of 2016 on the Bloomberg Technology website reveals the global energy market’s current situation. It has both informational and motivational purposes. First of all, it aims to inform readers about the modern tendencies in energy production. Moreover, it promotes several renewable energy sources like solar. The intended audience is varied, and the article will be of interest to investors or researchers in energy-saving technologies and ordinary people curious about the topic. Indeed, the article presents the world’s new energy outlook empowered by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
The language used in the article is appropriate. It is not too sophisticated, and the specialized terminology is not overused. The analyzed text is an article followed by a video regarding the rise of electric cars to mitigate the oil crash effects. The video is rich in images and figures to attract attention and look profound. The material looks like a presentation of the world’s new energy outlook by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
The author uses some evidence to support the ideas in the article. First of all, he uses charts to provide visual material; the chart displayed in the article presents changes in solar and wind energy projects between 2010 and the third quarter of 2016. Moreover, a lot of facts are supported by figures, which add an academic tone to the material. Apart from the graphical representations, the author also cites Bloomberg New Energy Finance officials, which strengthens the presented ideas. The applied evidence is effective and contributes to the reader’s understanding of the article’s importance.
Although the article is closer to Toulmin’s model than to Aristotle’s, it still uses Aristotle’s persuasive appeals. Logos components are more frequent here than the others. Moreover, the article is appropriately structured, and the core ideas are marked with subheadings. The text is consistent and provides relevant evidence for all given statements. For example, solar energy is getting cheaper within emerging market economies is supported by a chart. Besides, the article has clickable links to the article’s materials that may be unclear to a new reader. The video that follows the article primarily uses the appeals of pathos and ethos. The presentation of the oil crash and its consequences provokes fear for the future energy supply, thus appealing to the viewer’s emotions. In turn, the statistical information presented in charts and pictures comprises a logos component. It also increases the credibility of the article and the reader’s trust of the facts, which is a part of the ethos appeal.
In general, the article discusses the rise of solar energy projects. Particular attention is given to the role of renewable and low-cost energy resources for emerging markets. The investment in these projects is huge in countries with both emerging and developed markets. Nevertheless, it would be wrong to have too much confidence in solar or wind projects. Their completion will take some time, and under such conditions, fossil fuels will remain popular. The article predicts the climax of fossil fuels in the production of electricity within the next ten years. After that, the rise of clean energy will become more visible. In the final paragraph, the author mentions that there still are places with no electricity at all, where people use costly petroleum generators for energy. Consequently, their path to the safe and cheap energy of the wind and sun will not be short.