| The price of a barrel of oil has never been | | | | no longer just a concept. No wonder |
| higher ($62.00+ in summer 2005 even before | | | | governments are looking for alternatives. And |
| the chaos caused by Katrina). Some say this | | | | no wonder everyone is talking solar once |
| is a temporary spike, but more and more | | | | again.In 1985 annual worldwide solar power |
| analysts are agreeing that this kind of | | | | system installation accounted for 21 |
| pricing is here to stay. World consumption is | | | | megawatts of power. By 2004, this had |
| at an all time high and given the new thirst | | | | multiplied to an incredible 927 megawatts in |
| for oil in China and India it is unlikely to | | | | new installation power production alone. The |
| diminish. According to International Energy | | | | demand for solar produced energy over the |
| Outlook, global demand is expected to | | | | last several years has increased annually |
| continue to increase by as much as 59% in the | | | | about 25%, although in 2004 sales were up a |
| next fifteen years.Already, consumer energy | | | | whopping 67% from the previous year.There are |
| bills have been increasing on average 6.5% | | | | several reasons for this increase in |
| per year for the last thirty years in the | | | | popularity for all things solar powered. |
| United States. Given the dramatic rise in the | | | | Beyond the obvious environmental |
| cost of producing energy using traditional | | | | considerations and the privilege of not |
| non-renewable resources, this rate is bound | | | | having to rely on power from a grid that is |
| to be overtaken by unheard of price increases | | | | aging and stretched to capacity, solar is |
| in the very near future. And for consumers | | | | getting cost effective. While traditional |
| who are becoming more and more | | | | energy production gets more expensive, |
| environmentally conscious, the thought of the | | | | technological advances are making solar power |
| millions and millions of tons of CO2 and | | | | cheaper.In 1980 the cost of harvesting energy |
| other bi products being released into the | | | | from the sun stood at about $100 per watt. |
| atmosphere annually through the use of fossil | | | | Literally a hundred times more expensive than |
| fuels in creating energy is very alarming.It | | | | the going rate of electricity, these systems |
| is a no brainer that our reliance on oil to | | | | were not economically viable. By 1999 |
| create energy leaves us very vulnerable. | | | | however, technology had reduced this to about |
| There are renewable technologies that produce | | | | $4 per watt and costs have continued to |
| energy, but the problem has been one of cost | | | | decline by about 5% per year since. The |
| effectiveness. It has always been cheaper to | | | | Return on Investment is becoming very |
| supply energy using fossil fuels, and | | | | attractive for many commercial organizations |
| consequently, renewable sources such as solar | | | | and consumers.Efficiencies have been realized |
| or wind power have not taken off. But the | | | | in several technologies. The inverters that |
| situation now appears to be changing. More | | | | transform the collected DC energy into usable |
| and more, our consumption of energy is | | | | AC energy used to deliver only about 65% |
| outstripping supply. The grid can barely | | | | efficiency. 35% of the collected energy was |
| keep up with demand and rolling blackouts are | | | | lost in the transformation process. |