Solar Energy: The Only Way Out

As eyes are diverted from the Middle East to the Gulf of Mexico

, Americans have taken a renewed interest in solar energy and other alternative energy sources. We must, as a nation and world, take the steps to relieve ourselves of our dependence on fossil fuels and ensure a brighter, cleaner world in the future.

Our sun is a huge source of energy. Each minute, enough energy pelts the Earth to supply the worlds energy needs for a whole year. In a full day, we are hit with enough power to keep us going for the next 27 years.

At present, there are still limitations to solar technology. Investing more money in solar energy could bring down production costs and provide incentive for technological advancement. It is on voters and consumers to push for the reduction of our fossil fuel consumption. The market may be small at present, but there must be more pressure to make the switch to more environmentally friendly alternatives.

Photovoltaic (PV) cells are one way to capture the suns energy. Since their introduction in the late nineteenth century, advancements have improved efficiency from 4% to around 15% today. The utilization of nanotechnology has greatly improved to overall capacity of pv cells. Investing more capital could help to provide the incentive needed to make vast improvements in the field or alternative energy.

Many company buildings are embracing alternative energy as a source of heat. Sunlit floors and walls employ the use of passive solar energy with materials that warm up and store heat during the day, releasing it at night when it is most needed. Sun spaces and trombe walls are also built as part of buildings to convert solar energy.

Many cities are looking to alternative energy to power downtown office buildings as well. New designs employ the use of passive solar energy with materials that can absorb and store heat in sunlit floors and walls. During the day, heat is slowly built up, to be released at night, when it is needed most. Some of these options include are sun spaces and trombe walls.

Schools have also joined the effort to transition to alternative energies. There are many districts considering the installation of solar panels on rooftops to provide some of their energy needs.

Using solar energy is a clean alternative to fossil fuels and offers a free and widely available source of energy. As both technology and interest grows, there will be more advances in this area of alternative energy, and more job opportunities associated with the green energy sector. It may provide significant relief from the current economic situation if properly executed.

Currently, only 1% of our total energy consumption come from solar energy. Though California currently leads in alternative energy investment, many states are becoming more interested alternative opportunities. In Illinois, legislation sits on the desk of the Governor to provide targets for the power industry. If signed, 6& of electricity produced must come from solar energy by 2015.

We must remove ourselves from our dependence on fossil fuels and reinvest in alternative energy sources. Using the sun to power our world is practical long term and can help alleviate many of the issues that we face as a nation today. An energy crisis looms around the corner, we must do all that we can do divert another economic and environmental disaster.

by: Richard Ransome

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