| ding to the U.S. Department of Energy, there is | | | | energy-efficient solar homes in the future. They |
| nothing new about solar technology. | | | | were participating in the Solar Decathlon, a |
| “It probably started sometime in the 7th | | | | competition sponsored by the DOE where |
| Century B.C. when people learned how to use | | | | colleges designed and built 500 to 800 square foot |
| glass and sunlight to light a fire. But | | | | homes that were solar dependent. |
| today’s sophisticated solar technologies | | | | In California, Sunline a transit company, added |
| include everything from solar-powered lights and | | | | state-of-the-art hydrogen fuel cell buses to its |
| buildings to solar-powered vehicles.” | | | | fleet, said the DOE. |
| The Department of Energy (DOE) has approved | | | | “Hydrogen is produced at the site using |
| $62 million to fund concentrating solar power | | | | solar-powered electrolysis and natural gas |
| research and development. Concentrating solar | | | | reforming. Because fuel cell buses aren't yet |
| power technology is akin to the ancient practice | | | | commercially available, demonstration projects |
| of capturing the sun’s energy as heat to | | | | help us understand the technology better and plan |
| produce power. In simplest terms it is much like | | | | for the future,” according to the DOE. |
| using a magnifying glass to start a fire. | | | | California also boasts the world’s largest |
| Some plants that produce concentrated solar | | | | solar power facility. Located near Kramer Junction, |
| power include places to store the energy so it | | | | California the solar generating station produces |
| can be used at a later time, such as at night. | | | | 150 megawatts of power. |
| The DOE says that the American southwest is in | | | | “At capacity, this is usually enough power |
| a unique position to harness this energy. | | | | for about 150,000 homes. The facility covers |
| According to the Department of energy, here is | | | | more than 1000 acres and has a collector surface |
| what we should see in the future in regards to | | | | area of more than a million square |
| solar technologies: | | | | meters,” according to the DOE. |
| “All our buildings will feature | | | | Within about 10 years the cost of solar power will |
| energy-efficient design, construction, and materials | | | | be comparable to electricity. |
| as well as renewable energy technologies. In | | | | “Concentrating solar power, or solar |
| effect, each building will both conserve energy and | | | | thermal electricity, could harness enough of the |
| produce its own supply; to be one of a new | | | | sun's energy to provide large-scale, domestically |
| generation of cost-effective "zero-energy | | | | secure, and environmentally friendly electricity, |
| buildings" that have no net annual need for | | | | especially in the southwestern United |
| nonrenewable energy.” | | | | States,” said the website. |
| In addition, research and development into | | | | “The enormous solar power potential of |
| photovoltaic technology (where sun is converted | | | | the Southwest—comparable in scale to the |
| into energy) will improve. | | | | huge hydropower resource of the |
| “In a solar future, your mode of | | | | Northwest—will be realized. A desert area |
| transportation – and even the clothes you | | | | 10 miles by 15 miles could provide 20,000 |
| wear – could produce clean, safe electric | | | | megawatts of power, and the electricity needs of |
| power.” | | | | the entire United States could theoretically be met |
| At the University of Colorado, students built a | | | | by a photovoltaic array within an area 100 miles |
| model home that shows how we can live in | | | | on a side. |