For more than
a century, mankind has sought ways to convert the sun’s heat and light into
electricity. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, enough energy from the
sun hits Earth every hour to power the planet for an entire year. In addition
to harnessing this remarkable amount of energy, solar power has no emissions,
no moving parts, and doesn’t make any noise. Such possibilities have led to
significant federal and state subsidies and mandates in an attempt to turn
lofty visions of a solar-powered future into reality.
Despite years
of favorable public policy, including renewable power mandates and billions in
subsidies, solar power still produces only about 0.2 percent of the nation’s
electricity. The National Conference of State Legislatures says power from most
large, utility-scaled solar installations still costs about 35 percent more
than electricity from natural gas plants; many other experts estimate the
levelized cost is even higher. Solar lobbyists defend the privileges by saying
the technology is close to becoming competitive, but a 1983 study by Booz,
Allen & Hamilton conducted for the Solar Energy Industries Association,
Renewable Energy Institute, and American Wind Energy Association shows the same
argument was made more than 30 years ago.
The report
read, “The private sector can be expected to develop improved solar and wind
technologies which will begin to become competitive and self-supporting on a
national level by the end of the decade [meaning 1990] if assisted by tax
credits and augmented by federally sponsored R&D.”....To Read More.....
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