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Solar energy could offer bright future
by Midland Reporter-Telegram
As we discussed Monday, Amarillo's T. Boone Pickens has been making national headlines with his 20 percent wind power energy idea, but there are other alternative energy efforts underway that could have a major impact on our energy future if they were nurtuted properly by both the government and private sectors.
One form of alternative energy that is on a fast growth path is solar power. The news here is solar cells that convert sunlight into energy will become much cheaper to make in the near future, according to the firm iSuppli.
By 2010, says iSuppli, "as many as 400 production lines in the world that can produce at least 1 megawatt of PV cells per year will be in place."
The significance of such strong growth will be a reduction in production costs by as much as 40 percent between 2006 and 2010, say manufacturers quoted by iSuppli.
With these cost reductions, many regions throughout the world soon will reach grid parity, a point at which PV electricity costs the same or less than power derived from the electrical grid. PV grid parity is expected beginning in 2012 in nations where sunshine is plentiful and constant, and 2018 in areas of the world with adequate or medium sun exposure.
Grid parity is the key phrase in this solar dream. It's not there yet and these predictions of solar power growth toward that goal may be highy overstated. However, the solar industry is expierencing a 40 percent growth rate now and that's worth keeping an eye on.
Grid parity is the point where all kinds of things become possible, including the widespread introduction of plug-in hybrids, and a corresponding decrease in global dependence on oil for transportation needs.
Like Pickens' wind power dream, those in the solar power sector also think the government can help them achieve their goals and help solve a lion share of the nation's energy woes.
Solar power advocates are pushing bill H.R. 6049 which extends for another eight years the investment tax credit for installing solar energy and extends for one year the production tax credit for producing wind power and for three years the credits for geothermal, wave energy and other renewables.
Most in the renewable energy fields think this legislation is a good starting point, one that actually could impact America's energy profile immediately. Proponents say wind and solar power are here and they work. Both immediately can go into your home if manufacturers have an incentive to install solar panels and wind turbines.
Of course, the current price would have to come down in order to compete directly with coal, oil and nuclear power without subsidies.
Ultimately, that is the secret to any alternative energy source. The technology must be able to deliver cheap energy. Until that happens, America's dependency on oil is locked in.
One form of alternative energy that is on a fast growth path is solar power. The news here is solar cells that convert sunlight into energy will become much cheaper to make in the near future, according to the firm iSuppli.
By 2010, says iSuppli, "as many as 400 production lines in the world that can produce at least 1 megawatt of PV cells per year will be in place."
The significance of such strong growth will be a reduction in production costs by as much as 40 percent between 2006 and 2010, say manufacturers quoted by iSuppli.
With these cost reductions, many regions throughout the world soon will reach grid parity, a point at which PV electricity costs the same or less than power derived from the electrical grid. PV grid parity is expected beginning in 2012 in nations where sunshine is plentiful and constant, and 2018 in areas of the world with adequate or medium sun exposure.
Grid parity is the key phrase in this solar dream. It's not there yet and these predictions of solar power growth toward that goal may be highy overstated. However, the solar industry is expierencing a 40 percent growth rate now and that's worth keeping an eye on.
Grid parity is the point where all kinds of things become possible, including the widespread introduction of plug-in hybrids, and a corresponding decrease in global dependence on oil for transportation needs.
Like Pickens' wind power dream, those in the solar power sector also think the government can help them achieve their goals and help solve a lion share of the nation's energy woes.
Solar power advocates are pushing bill H.R. 6049 which extends for another eight years the investment tax credit for installing solar energy and extends for one year the production tax credit for producing wind power and for three years the credits for geothermal, wave energy and other renewables.
Most in the renewable energy fields think this legislation is a good starting point, one that actually could impact America's energy profile immediately. Proponents say wind and solar power are here and they work. Both immediately can go into your home if manufacturers have an incentive to install solar panels and wind turbines.
Of course, the current price would have to come down in order to compete directly with coal, oil and nuclear power without subsidies.
Ultimately, that is the secret to any alternative energy source. The technology must be able to deliver cheap energy. Until that happens, America's dependency on oil is locked in.
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Gene wrote on Jul 24, 2008 1:30 PM:
1) power storage (what do you do at night)
2) DC-AC conversion: so you can sell power to the grid
Nuclear is bettr and cheaper. "