The Future of Energy
 
 

 The health of the environment is our livelihood.  When the environment is not in good health it could lead to health problems on a personal level.  One of the major environmental problems is air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels.

 Levels of carbon dioxide emitted by fossil fuels into the atmosphere in 1991 was an estimated “5.6 billion tons per year” (Tesar, 28).  If we keep running down the path we are on using fossil fuels like no tomorrow there is some worry among scientists, “Some scientists estimate that the number will jump to as much as 30 billion tons per year within the next few decades” (28).
 
 Concern for the environment is not a recent phenomena.  Rachel Carson (1907-

1964), was an “American marine biologist and the author of widely read books on ecological themes”  (Bram, 326).  One of her more outstanding quotes on the environment is, “The most alarming of all man’s assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea…this pollution is for the most part irrecoverable” (Peter, 171).
 
I agree with Rachel Carson that earth, air, and water pollution is for the most part irrecoverable.   Some institutions working today to clean up the environment do help some, but as I see it they are not showing results.  There efforts are a feeble attempt because pollution levels keep rising and they could never keep up.  According to Hayes
the former director of the Solar Research Institute under President Jimmy Carter of Earth Island Journal, “In 1993, President Clinton pledged to reduce US CO2 emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000.  Instead, the nation’s CO2 emissions are now projected to rise at least 13 percent by the end of the century.  In 1996 alone, US emissions shot up 3.5 percent” (Hayes, 1).

 It is apparent that the only way to bring pollution under control is to stop using fossil fuels altogether.  However, this will not be an easy task, according to Coombs there is an estimated, “Eight trillion tons of coal in the world” (Coombs, 19).  With that amount of coal it is reasonable to assume that we will have and inexpensive source of energy for many years to come.  People are willing to jump on the environmental bandwagon  because it is politically correct, but because we live in a capitalistic society that is driven by the almighty dollar people are resistant to change.
 
Solar power is the energy of the future.  Gary Chandler and alternative energy advocate states, “Although the sun is 93 million miles from Earth, it provides a free and plentiful source of clean fuel for renewable energy production” (Chandler, 1).  We must embrace it completely because as long as the sun shines we will exist.  According to Stephen Hawking, professor at Cambridge University in England, estimates that, “Our sun probably has got enough fuel for another five thousand million years or so” (Hawking, 83).  So with this knowledge and the current condition of our planet it is a mystery to me why we have not used solar panels to their maximum capability sooner, especially since the solar technology has been around for nearly 160 years.  “In 1839, Edmund Becquerel, a French scientist, discovered the photovoltaic effect” (Timeline, 1).

 The technology has been available for over one hundred years but, “The first commercial solar panel (was built in) 1956 (by) AT&T Co Photo center” (Solar Power, 1).  The powerful fossil fuel electric companies have had their hooks in the nations electric market long enough.  It is time for change.  I propose that we bring pollution to a stop within the next twenty years by the government buying up mass quantities of solar panels to drive the price down and offering tax incentives to citizens and companies who use solar power.  It is not an unrealistic proposal some states already offer tax incentives and government intervention will drive the price down to and acceptable market level.

 A similar scenario occurred with computer chips.  According to Hayes, “In the 1960’s, computer chips were far too expensive for use by the general public.  Massive government purchases  by the Defense Department and NASA quickly led to design innovations and efficient mass production.  As prices fell, a large commercial market was created.  Volume shot up while prices continued to fall” (Hayes, 1).

 Solar power in every home is not impossible.  Some may complain about the bulk and size of solar panels but as use and quantity improve so will quality and the size will shrink.  Hayes also states, “Today, millions of people have more computational power sitting on their desks than NASA had available for the entire Apollo space program in the 1960’s.  The same strategy could work for solar cells” (2).

 Some power companies have already begun to incorporate solar into their plants.  One such company is Arizona Public Service (APS), located in Tempe, Arizona.  “APS contracted Applied Power Corporation (APC) to design, supply and install a grid connected photovoltaic power system at their state-of-the-art photovoltaic research star center” (Application Brief, 1).  Their power plant is filled with solar panels providing a clean supply of energy to some of the citizens of Arizona.

 
Photo of APS in Tempe, Arizona.

 Solar tax credits are offered in North Carolina to residents and companies for using solar power on their homes, buildings, or equipment.  North Carolina offers tax credits in four different varieties as found in the North Carolina Solar Center Information FactSheet (NCSC) on page 2:
 

(1)40% credit for solar energy systems on residential buildings
(2)35% credit for commercial and industrial solar systems
(3)25% credit for the construction of photovoltaic equipment manufacturing facilities
(4)Special
valuation of solar energy equipment for property tax purposes
 

North Carolina has the right idea.  Also stated in the North Carolina Factsheet, “These tax credits are a great way to bring down the initial cost of solar energy system for your home or business” (Solar Tax, 1).

 Some may argue that solar power may do just as much or create new damage to the environment or people because there has been no  long- range testing on its safety.  They claim, “Unscrupulous scientists and greedy promoters are hoonwinking a gullible public…This solar technology has never been utilized on such a large scale, and we have no assurance of its long-range safety.  Not one single study ahs been done to assess the safety of electricity form solar energy as compared to electricity for other sources” (Simanek, 1).  Some of the hazards the scientists have considered are such things as skin cancer, cataracts, blindness, and fires (1).

 Granted there is a great deal to be learned about solar energy.  But using fossil fuels in a no win situation.  We must do something.  Fossil fuels will continue to pollute the air and eat away at our ozone layer.  Solar is the best alternative.  Some may worry about the safety of solar but as use increases so does testing and studying.  With time the quality will improve as it does with all technology.

 Fossil fuels are damaging our planet, everyone knows that.  So we must act now to fix it and not delay.  The longer we wait the more damage is done.  Money is not worth breathing dirty air and destroying our ozone layer.  In the past with the government’s help computers landed on almost every desk in America and the price is acceptable.  Tax incentives to those who use solar will further bring the price down and encourage use.  This will save our planet.  Solar power is the future of energy.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Works Cited
 

“Application Brief:  Utility.”  Applied Power Corporation.  30 November 1998.
 <http://www.appliedpower.com/apps/Utility/~projects/APS_tempe.htm>
 (30 November 1998).

Bram, Leon L.  “Rachel Carson.”  Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia.

Chandler, Gary., and Kevin Graham.  Alternative Energy Sources.  New York:
 Holt, 1996.
Coombs, Charles.  Coal in the Energy Crisis.  New York:  Morrow, 1980.
Hayes, Denis.  (1998)  How to Create Solar Economy in Four Years.
<http:www.econet.apc.org/ei/journal/Spring1998?18a.htm> (23 November 1998).

Hawking, Stephen.  A Brief History of Time:  From the Big Bang to Black Holes.
 New York:  Bantam, 1988.

Peter, Laurence J. Dr.  Peter’s Quotations.  New York:  Quill William Morrow, 1977.

Simanek, Donald E.  (1994)  The Hazards of Solar Energy.  <http://www.lhup.edu/~
 Dsimanek/solar.htm>  (27 October 1998).

“Solar Power-The Basics.”  Solar Power-The Basics.  27 October 1998.
 http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/solar/brief2.html  (27 October 1998).

“Solar Tax Credits for North Carolina.”  North Carolina Solar Center Information
 Factsheet.  30 November 1998.  <http://www.ncsc.ncsu.edu/26taxcdt.htm>
 (30 November 1998).

Tesar, Jenny.  Global Warming.  New York;  Facts On File, 1991.

“Timeline:  Photovoltaic Development.”  Untitled.  2 December, 1998.
 <http:www.si.edu/ndm/exhib/sun/2/obj_timeline.htm>
 (2 December, 1998).