Solar Power Shines on the Future

Today hybrid cars offer consumers one of the greatest tools of empowerment. Whether your goal is to fight pollution and global warming, or to end foreign oil-dependency, the hybrid car is a top weapon, and new tools are on the horizon.

Solar technology, for example, has made significant strides over the last several years to become a price competitive, alternative source of energy. Even California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined the bandwagon this year announcing his plan to promote new legislation that will add solar power to 1 million homes by 2017.

Solar technology has definitely come around since the last energy crisis. With a strategic role in the exploration of space already under its belt, solar technology for the consumer, more importantly, the homeowner is here. Old technology was big and bulky, making many a roof top pretty shabby-looking, but new tiles look almost slate-like. Solar Century, for example, offers very thin, streamlined tiles which can provide half the energy of the average home at about a cost of $14,000.

Many will correctly argue that this price – with a break even point well beyond a decade – is still too high for the average consumer, but this technology is only just beginning to realize its potential.

Currently, the best silicon-based solar cells are only 16% efficient. Because these cells are built on the same semi-conductor technology that – via Moore’s Law – has quickly and continually fed the need for quicker and faster computers, many speculate the same thing will happen to solar cells. Basically, we haven’t even tapped into the potential of solar cells for home users.

In essence, the next big breakthrough will make solar cells the “no duh” choice in only the next few years. The faster citizens and corporations seize this opportunity; invest in its potential, the quicker it will develop. Combined with other tools, like the hybrid car, the citizenry can begin to force corporate America to lead the world into a mutually beneficial relationship, or we can put those profit-plundering corporations out-of-business.