Article Review-First Draft

The Sun has been showering the Earth with energy for millions of years. People have been trying to harness it for nearly 150 years. The first solar cell, made of selenium and a thin layer of gold, was less than 1% efficient in its energy conversion. These materials were replaced by crystalline silicon in the 1950s but have remained the basic material ever since even though it was only 6% efficient. These first panels made in Bell Labs cost nearly $200 per watt. The efficiency of the panels was tackled during the space race, in which the clear way to beat Russia was to have our satellite remain fully powered for a longer period of time. The Government cared little about the cost effectiveness of the solar panels it sent into space, but down here on earth people began to see the importance and potential of the ability to capture the power of the sun for a reasonable price. In just three years, Elliot Berman brought the price per Watt supplied by a solar panel down 80%. After that, while progress was slowly being made in the US, Japanese companies rapidly achieved the task of making solar energy competitively priced when compared to dependence on the grid.

So, with all these advancements, why is solar power still provided only 0.04% of the world's energy? With all the recent buzz around solar energy, companies have created a much larger demand for silicon than is currently being harvested. This caused a recent increase in the cost per watt despite the overall trend of decreasing price with advances in technology. Many scientists have been researching alternative materials for this purpose. Some of the findings include cheaper materials which sacrifice some of the power conversion efficiency, or more expensive compound that nearly doubles the current efficiency rating of solar panels. Yet other scientists are trying to supply more bang for the consumer's buck without even changing the materials by using lenses or mirrors. Many big companies (Microsoft, Google, Wal-Mart) which have fewer monetary concerns, but many public relations issues have begun to implement solar power into their buildings or offices. Other measures are being taken to encourage smaller scale use of renewable energy. California recently passed the “Million Solar Roofs” initiative which will issue about $3 billion in rebates for those who install and use solar panels.

Even though the current numbers are not where any green thinker would like to see them, this article claims that the low numbers are not a reason to despair but a call for action. We are fortunate to find ourselves in a time where we can each make such a large impact, there is so much room for improvement that nearly anything we do will help the situation, and any excitement we generate regarding renewable energy can and will be spread.