5. So What About Solar?
So What About Solar? Maybe you’ve already heard this, but it’s a fun fact to ponder: The amount of solar energy hitting the earth in one hour is equal to the amount of energy consumed by all of humanity in a year. Of course harnessing the sun’s energy is another story, since it turns out to require the help of technology. But it’s actually a rather exciting story, given the speed with which that technology is evolving: The cost of photovoltaics has dropped by almost 70% in the past 10 years, making it competitive with any fossil fuel energy source today (at least, up until the pandemic-induced, likely temporary, oil pricing chaos). If you are considering solar panels for your household, there are websites that can help you with rough estimates. A good one is www.solar-estimate.org. But here is some background to help you understand the basics of home photovoltaics, including the interaction of the solar energy available in your location wi...