Almost all cultures that have walked the Earth have worshipped the sun. It is also the bringer of light and warmth. The Egyptians have their Sun God, Ra, the Greeks have Helios. Even the Romans paid their respects. In the modern world, we too should be grateful for the sun. Like it or not, it’s the source of all the energy humans use on planet Earth, and despite all our technology, it’s still what keeps us warm and well fed.
Recently we’ve been using stored up sunlight in the form of fossil fuels, we are now going direct. Solar tech has exploded in recent years, but the world is only just waking up to the fact that solar power is a serious player in the energy market. Here are some fun facts about solar tech to keep you entertained and to tell your friends.
Solar Energy Is Growing Fast
According to a leading solar energy association, solar is growing rapidly. Over the last decade, solar has experienced a 60 percent growth rate per year. The number of people working in the sector has also ballooned. In the US, for instance, about 209,000 people now work in solar. That’s more than twice the number six years ago. According to forecasts, this figure will again double in the next four years to over 400,000. Do you need a job? Perhaps think about going into the renewable energy sector.
We’re In An Era of Free Electricity
Given that energy bills take up such a big chunk of our incomes, it’s hard to imagine free electricity bills, but thanks to solar power, free electricity is something that we might want to get used to. According to the Argentinian Renewable Energy Conference blog, Chileans got free power last December. The spot price for energy fell to $0 because solar panels in the country were producing so much energy during the day. On some days, between noon and 4 pm, they paid nothing for their electricity.
Germany And Italy Are Global Solar Leaders
According to the latest figures we have, Germany and Italy are the leaders in Photo voltaic tech. Germany, of course, has spent the last decade pursuing its Energiewende energy policy. And now it’s reaping the rewards. Like Chile, it too has experienced days where the price of electricity has gone to zero (and below). Of course, places like China are catching up fast. And by 2020, it’s expected that China will have more installed solar panels than any other country in the world.
By 2060, One Third Of Energy Will Be Solar
The International Energy Agency has predicted that the world will get one-third of its energy from solar by 2060. But given that the price of solar is already at parity with coal is this believable? Over the last forty years, the price of solar has been on an exponential decline, and right now, there’s no sign that this decline is stopping. That’s why others, like Google technologist, Ray Kurzweil, predict solar will dominate by 2030. It’ll be cheaper, safer and greener.
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