California Company Creating World's Largest Solar-Cell Operation

PowerLight of Berkeley California will be turning the power 'on', at the world's largest solar-cell operation later this month. The Bavarian Solarpark just outside Munich, Germany, will add 10 megawatts of power to the local grid.

The company's PowerTracker solar panels - swiveling as they follow the sun - will allow the SolarPark to pump about 30% more 'juice' with it's array of 57,600 panels than could stationary solar panels.

The average American powerplant produces a little over 200 megawatts of power, so this plant is small by those standards. Nonetheless, we are only at the dawn of solar power. Typically far less than 20% efficient, the exponential power of efficiency increases is astronomical. Much like the Moore's Law of silicon-based computer chips, the silicon-based solar panels should produce huge gains in efficiency in the near future.

And the potential is just too great to ignore any longer.

It isn't inconceivable that every house could create enough energy to run their homes, cars etc. with solar power. Future hybrid cars could combine their electric motors with solar-powered fuel cells, providing the ability to plug-in for a charge, or to recharge in the sunlight. Tethered together by a "power network", citizens could sell energy back to the government.

And it doesn't end with hybrid cars.

Bertrand Piccard, a co-pilot on the first non-stop round-the-world balloon flight in 1999, wants to accomplish the first solar-powered, piloted, non-stop flight around the world. Working with AeroVironment, Inc. creators of the Solar Challenger, the team plans to create a new plane, the Solar Impulse. Testflights are to begin in 2007.

Based on current solar technology, the task will be difficult, but not impossible. As breakthroughs occur - doubling speed and capacity every 2 years, every 18 months, every year - more than enough power will be provided by solar power.

While the technology is coming from America, America is not the leader in using solar power. Currently, Japan is No.1 and Germany No. 2, with the U.S. far behind.

When Bill Gates built the first P.C., it was far from efficient, yet had great use for some business operations. Now, business cannot function without a computer. Solar power offers equal, if not greater potential, and intertwined with computer advances, offers the prospect for revolutionary change, a true Technological Renaissance, where energy is clean and abundant.

Yet, as we increase our energy production, we will naturally increase our need for energy, as we over-populate and learn to live in sea and air. The world of the Jetsons is just around the corner. As global warming continues, and as we continue to monitor the skies for life-threatening asteroids, the technological renaissance might be our only chance of survival.