| Ultimately, all energy - even energy derived from fossil | | | | inexpensive compared to the rest of the country. |
| fuels - is solar energy. The difference between | | | | One of the keys to this bright energy future is |
| petrofuels and what we think of today as solar energy | | | | multijunction solar cells. These cells have multiple layers, |
| is that the former represents the sun's energy that has | | | | each of which is "tuned" to a different part of the sun's |
| been locked up in the form of carbon for hundreds of | | | | spectrum. As you may know, the sun's rays are made |
| millions of years and is released when it is burned. | | | | up of different colors, which you can see through a |
| New technology such as solar photovoltaic cells make | | | | prism or after a storm when water droplets in the |
| direct use of solar energy as it reaches the surface of | | | | atmosphere break up the spectrum, producing a |
| the planet. Although this is virtually pollution-free and | | | | rainbow. Each layer in one of these specialized cells |
| can ultimately provide virtual no-cost energy, there | | | | captures part of the spectrum - which means they are |
| have been two major drawbacks to photovoltaic solar | | | | able to capture more of the sun's light and turn this into |
| cells: cost and inefficiency. Solar cells have historically | | | | electricity. |
| been exorbitantly expensive, and generate relatively | | | | The bottom line is efficiencies up to 40% - 4-3 times |
| little in the way of usable electrical power. | | | | that of older types of solar panels. |
| However, as has been the case with the personal | | | | Multijunction solar cells have been around for awhile, |
| computer, solar energy technology is undergoing rapid | | | | but until now, costs have been astronomical - literally. |
| changes that allow solar voltaic cells to produce | | | | They have long been used for orbiting satellites (and |
| greater amounts of energy at much lower costs; | | | | are used on the Mars Rover as well), because their |
| barring interference from federal legislators and oil | | | | light weight went a long ways toward offsetting the |
| company lobbyists, it is very possible that within the | | | | cost of getting them into outer space. Today, scientists |
| next few years we will be able to generate electricity | | | | at the U.S. Department of Energy Renewable Energy |
| from solar panels for as little as.03c a kilowatt - about | | | | Lab have achieved more than 40% efficiency using |
| half of what folks are paying for hydro power in | | | | this technology, which is currently the record for such |
| Washington State, where electricity is already | | | | generation. |