Thursday, December 11, 2008

The technology that will save humanity

The technology that will save humanity
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/04/14/solar_electric_thermal/print.html

Apr. 14, 2008 | One of oldest forms of energy used by humans -- sunlight concentrated by mirrors -- is poised to make an astonishing comeback. I believe it will be the most important form of carbon-free power in the 21st century. That's because it's the only form of clean electricity that can meet all the demanding requirements of this century.

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Well worth a read in my opinion. We have to move beyond coal and oil, it's simply imperative for the economic health of the country. Into the bargain we get a cleaner source of energy the footprint of which is minimal.

Once solar panels are ubiquitous solar energy will tend to also be fairly inexpensive. And you don't specifically have to store the energy if you can sell it back to the grid at the current market price.

I won't say energy will ever be free, it will always have some cost. But solar and wind offer efficient and economical options the likes of which few of us have ever dreamed possible. Between both technologies most homes could most likely be energy independent most of the time.

And it's all just up ahead. It's almost here already.