The Success of Solar Energy
Solar energy is getting more attention these days. More of the public is aware of the problems of greenhouse gasses and scientists have combined their research to tell the world of the dangers of the use of carbon based fuel regarding the destruction of life as we know it. Weather disasters abound around the world, wildfires have increased in size and destruction, drought is occurring in places that never experienced before, and the oceans sea life is diminishing daily. We know that a lot of this is related to the amount of carbon dioxide that has been pumped into our atmosphere. However, with improvements in photovoltaic power, the success of solar energy is a story that needs to be written about so that the citizens of the world can create a bigger market place for it.
Besides the obvious pollution differences between the uses of carbon based power and solar, there are other advantages. The real success story of solar energy involves the destruction that is left behind with the use of fossil fuel in comparison to that of photovoltaic energy. For instance, solar energy uses almost ninety percent less water than coal, is ninety five percent less toxic to people and wildlife than the combustion and mining of coal, contributes less to acid rain as well as contributing less to the acidification of our oceans and other waterways.
The success of solar energy can be seen in the production level which is putting out enough power to meet the needs of thirty million homes. At the same time, it has the capacity of reducing fifty three million tons of carbon dioxide. In the year 2000, the production of photovoltaic energy was about 1.4 gigawatts. Today there is a production of one hundred and thirty gigawatts. European nations are proud that they are currently using about eighty gigawatts of solar energy to produce electricity. Germany is using about thirty five gigawatts which is about seven percent of their electricity. There are parts of Germany where these numbers are higher. When there are more installations of photovoltaic systems, the price comes down considerably. Every doubling of solar production ability has reduced costs by about twenty two percent.
Much of the success of solar energy in Europe has come about because of policies of many of the countries in the European Union. The price per watt is now averaging about $1.34 which is a tremendous drop since photovoltaic systems were first installed. In the early years of solar installations, the cost was far higher. The quest to make the price of solar based electricity to come down in price is happening all over the world.
Besides the obvious pollution differences between the uses of carbon based power and solar, there are other advantages. The real success story of solar energy involves the destruction that is left behind with the use of fossil fuel in comparison to that of photovoltaic energy. For instance, solar energy uses almost ninety percent less water than coal, is ninety five percent less toxic to people and wildlife than the combustion and mining of coal, contributes less to acid rain as well as contributing less to the acidification of our oceans and other waterways.
The success of solar energy can be seen in the production level which is putting out enough power to meet the needs of thirty million homes. At the same time, it has the capacity of reducing fifty three million tons of carbon dioxide. In the year 2000, the production of photovoltaic energy was about 1.4 gigawatts. Today there is a production of one hundred and thirty gigawatts. European nations are proud that they are currently using about eighty gigawatts of solar energy to produce electricity. Germany is using about thirty five gigawatts which is about seven percent of their electricity. There are parts of Germany where these numbers are higher. When there are more installations of photovoltaic systems, the price comes down considerably. Every doubling of solar production ability has reduced costs by about twenty two percent.
Much of the success of solar energy in Europe has come about because of policies of many of the countries in the European Union. The price per watt is now averaging about $1.34 which is a tremendous drop since photovoltaic systems were first installed. In the early years of solar installations, the cost was far higher. The quest to make the price of solar based electricity to come down in price is happening all over the world.
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