SOLAR POWER: PRESENT AND FUTURE
Sources indicate that the daily sunlight hitting the earth has seven thousand times more energy than all
the fossil fuels used today! In fact, solar collectors placed on not even one percent of the world’s unused
land could match today’s output from all fossil fuels! And, it is green and renewable.
This available, climate‐friendly source of electricity can be collected by several different methods, which
include:
• Liquid contained in long tubes using a heat exchanger, primarily for heating water (a long‐tested
technology);
• Panels of photovoltaic cells (PVs) which create energy when photons (light rays) hit a silicon
surface moving electrons across an electrical junction creating voltage;
• Solar concentrators, or mirrors, focusing large amounts of sunlight into a small area that drive
turbines to generate electricity; and,
• CSP (concentrated solar power) using, for example, parabolic troughs as in Andasol 1 in
Granada, Spain or solar towers as in Seville. In this method, water is heated to run steam
turbines to generate electricity. Further, CSP has the capability to store solar energy in the form
of heat.
CONSENSUS FOR USE
The return on solar investment is very high and, in home installations, can be realized within two years
of initial installation. And, once the solar installation is in place, the cost of maintenance is minimal.
The solar industry is predicting grid parity (the point where more energy is produced than used in
production) by the end of 2010, which, by itself, demonstrates the rapid technological advancement of
solar.
THE FUTURE
Large‐scale solar projects across the globe—whether community‐sponsored, utility‐run, or multiowner—
are reinforcing the positive outlook for the future of solar power as a clean, renewable source
of electricity (see box).
LESSONS FROM ABROAD AND FROM THE U.S.
The EU
The solar thermal market in the EU and in Switzerland grew by more than 60% in 2008 with strong
showings in Spain, Italy, and France.
Germany
The country more than doubled new solar installations to 1.5gWs of new capacity in 2008.
Cyprus
Cited as the “world champion” with an installed thermal capacity of 623kWs per 1,000 inhabitants.
China
The largest global solar thermal market, where in 2008, China’s newly installed capacity was
approximately 21gWs—16 times greater than the entire European market. (Source: ESTIF, September
2009)
United States
Because of local Renewal Energy Standard (RES) targets, markets are driving ambitious utility and
community projects. But the U.S. can do much more.
One particularly ambitious example of success is the Desertec/Eumena’s (CSP) project. In July 2009, 12
major companies signed on to build the largest solar power array—up to 100gWs—in North Africa and
the Middle East, encompassing Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco. The companies include Siemens,
ABB, Deutsche Bank, and Munich Re. The transmission and delivery to Europe will be through HVDC
transmission cables under the Mediterranean Sea. A by‐product of this immense project will be fresh
drinking and irrigation water for North Africa, resulting from the desalinization process necessary for the
array.
The advancements being made today in solar power are tremendous. For example, the first collectors
for concentrating solar photons were fixed in place. Today, innovative solar tracking devices are being
used, allowing solar modules to follow the sun’s daily course, thereby optimizing production over fixedangle
modules by at least one‐third. There are two basic types of trackers: those that track east‐to‐west
and double‐axis trackers that move both east‐to‐west and vertically.
ACTIONS NEEDED
There can be no doubt that the future for solar power is bright, affordable, and renewable. The federal
government must envision solar power as a means to revolutionize electricity generation. Weaning the
country off of its dependence on foreign oil and carbon‐intensive power sources can be accomplished
through feed‐in tariffs, high RES standards, construction grants, tax breaks, and incentive loans to
stimulate solar investment and production. If necessary, a carbon tax may be imposed to encourage
utilities to take quick action aimed at a nearly carbon‐free environment.
Written on behalf of the Energy Committee.
Contact: Barbara Tucker mailto:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
 Solar Power Energy Brief 2009-10-22.pdf | [SOLAR POWER: PRESENT AND FUTURE] |