Solar Energy

By: Kethaki Nair

The sun’s disappearing and winter is finally here! I don’t particularly like the grayness or the cold so in an effort to brighten my day and put off my work I decided to spend some time investigating the sun and what it does for us. As I am sure you know our life revolves around the sun, both literally and metaphorically. It sustains the essentials for life on earth, and if we are able to harness its power further it has the potential to support the non-essentials too.

Given the sun’s humungousness it can clearly support all of the worlds energy needs. For those who prefer facts to my assumptions, as everyone should, Greenpeace states that the sun has the potential to generate 10,000 times our current global energy needs. Solar energy currently generates only 0.039%.

Though solar energy is clean and inexhaustible, given current technology it is too expensive to be really appealing. The key to the success of solar energy at this stage is government policy. Favorable policies in countries like Germany have led to the widespread use of solar energy, both by people and businesses. In the US tax credits are essential to make solar systems affordable and to sustain small solar firms and the employment they generate. Another fun fact: Solar Energy Industries Association estimates that there are 30,000-40,000 direct solar-energy related jobs in the US! Even more important is the sense that the state will be committed to supporting the industry in the long-run.

Just like other forms of alternative energy, solar energy holds great potential, but needs good policies to succeed. Lets hope that the change in the White House will bring real change in policies that support solar energy, in the meanwhile keep warm and hope the grayness will be short-lived.

Info from the following articles:
US gov policy and solar energy (ny times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/business/smallbusiness/25sbiz.html

Info and photograph
CNN: All about solar energy: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/01/solar.energy/index.html