This 2007 movie[1], in 56 minutes, gives viewers a basic orientation to solar power[2], especially as it applies to homeowners. This movie takes viewers from the activities of Colorado's National Energy[ 3] Renewal Lab to Germany's successful solar[4] power programs. This move also takes viewers from the operations of solar thermal plants to individual home owners' experiences with solar power.
According to this movie, solar power has improved much in the last 60 years. In 1958 there was a solar powered radio. Today, cities such as Las Vegas are obtaining large portions of their energy needs from solar power. Germany has the goal to obtain 20% of its national energy needs from solar power by 2020, and many believe that Germany might get as high as 30% by 2020.
According to the movie, solar power for homeowners is more realistic today. Today's solar panels[5] produce twice as much electricity as earlier solar panels produced. Future improvements in solar panels probably will continue to make them even more efficient. Solar hot water panels[6] also are available now to heat water.
The movie covers still other new developments in solar power for houses. In the past, solar powered houses were not connected to the public power grid, and they had to store unused electricity in batteries. Today, solar powered houses can be connected to the power grid, and owners of solar powered houses can be compensated by power companies for excess solar generated power that homeowners route to the power company. Forty states have such "net metering[7]" contracts available.
The movie reveals that one obstacle to solar powered houses is the initial cost of the solar panels and supporting equipment. The average house could require a $15,000.00 to $28,000.00 initial cost. Solar panels probably will last for 40 years.
Fortunately, there are new developments that promise to lessen these costs. The federal government[8] and some states[9] such as Massachusetts have grants to pay for up to half of these initial costs. Also, as more people chose solar powered houses, mass production is reducing the costs of solar panels. In addition, scientists are experiment ing with "Nano paint," which is a paint that might someday generate solar energy.
Peter Diamandis[10] described the potential of solar power well when he said, "We live in a world bathed in 5,000 times more energy than we consume as a species in a year, in the form of solar energy. It's just not in usable form yet." This movie can help preppers to better understand how to use this abundant energy.
References
- ^ movie (www.examiner.com)
- ^ solar power (www.examiner.com)
- ^ Energy (www.examiner.com)
- ^ solar (www.examiner.com)
- ^ solar panels (www.examiner.com)
- ^ Solar hot water panels (www.amazon.com)
- ^ net metering (www.eia.gov)
- ^ federal government (homeguides.sfgate.com)
- ^ states (solarenergy.net)
- ^ Peter Diamandis (en.wikipedia.org)
