The fields of photovoltaic manufacturing, solar consulting, design, and installation remain strong and developing, despite a down turned economy and research and development reductions. With the overpowering grassroots, corporate, and national interest in renewable energy solar power has risen to the forefront and hook ups are available for any-sized structure and for many budgets.
Solar power, unlike wind or wave energy, involves no moving parts, no friction, no wear and tear. Although the battery may wear down over time, in general all the components of your solar power, or photovoltaic, system will probably last longer than the home or business at which they are installed.
On the global level, solar power’s importance stems from the importance of the sun itself. The sun, an infinitely combusting sphere of hydrogen, helium, and intensely charged plasma, pours fourth virtually all the energy you use in a day. Gas and coal are ancient plants and animals that took their power from the sun, wind is energy generated because of uneven solar heating of the atmosphere, and currents/hydro power are much of the same. Thus solar and hydro power are actually derivative power sources and as such less efficient.
Because the earth absorbs enough power in one day to power humanity for decades, learning how best to harness this obscenely overwhelming source of energy is key to humanity’s future. The difficulty comes from setting up that global system, and from the earth’s atmosphere which blocks most of the radiation emitted by the sun. However, each household system and each new development closes the gap between our energy future, and out energy present.
