Brandon McCormick EGEE 101H Reflective Essay #2 31 March 2014

A Ticking Clock: Can the United States Utilize Solar Energy on a Large Scale before its too late?

Introduction Imagine a map of the United States of America. Now imagine the same map but with large portions of the coastline missing. Where did they go? Shoreline erosion and costal flooding are just two examples of negative consequences that we will all face if the temperature of the atmosphere continues to rise (Costal Areas). The increasing atmospheric temperature is a side effect of a larger process that is known as global climate change. Global climate change is the rapid change in Earths atmospheric composition that can be contributed, directly or indirectly, to human activity (Climate Change). The primary cause of climate change is increased carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere, and these increased levels of CO2 have been caused by human activity, mostly by burning fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas. The United States alone makes up almost 20% of global CO2 emissions (Global Emissions). The effects of global climate change do not stop with rising sea levels; if current trends continue, climate change will cause more extreme weather across the board, including stronger hurricanes, record droughts, etc. (Extreme Weather). If global climate change does not scare you, maybe economic disaster will. Fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas are not unlimited resources. Experts disagree how long current reserves of these resources will last, but one thing is certain, they will eventually run out. The global economy as well as the economy of the United States is extremely reliant on

fossil fuels. The United States makes up 5% of the worlds population but consumes almost 25% of the worlds oil (Polack). These doomsday predictions beg the question, what can be done to prevent this fast-approaching disaster? The world and the United States desperately need a sustainable and clean source of energy. Solar, or photovoltaic, energy fits this description. However, the question remains whether or not solar energy is a viable replacement for fossil fuels in the United States, specifically in the area of electricity production. This paper will explore this question and will argue that solar energy is an economically and logistically suitable replacement for fossil fuels in the area of electricity production.

A Brief History of Solar Power Almost every source of energy used on Earth began with the sun. Take for example, coal, which is Americas primary fuel source for electricity generation (Fossil Fuels). The formation of coal started millions of years ago during the Carboniferous period when plants that had absorbed the suns energy through photosynthesis died. Under normal conditions these plants would decay and release their energy into the atmosphere, but under favorable conditions the dead plant matter was buried at great depths, subjected to extreme heat and pressure, and eventually turned into coal (What is Coal). All fossil fuels, in fact, share a similar genesis with coal. But why is it necessary to wait years (in the case of wood) or millennia (in the case of fossil fuels) for a concentrated, combustible fuel source? Why can you not harvest the suns energy directly? This is what civilizations have been doing for thousands of years. In the third century BCE, Greeks and Romans used the suns energy to light torches that were used in religious

ceremonies. Also, in the first and fourth centuries CE, the Romans designed bathhouses so that the suns rays would warm the water. Similarly, around 1200 CE the Anasazi people of North America would design their dwellings to be warmed by the Sun during the Winter Months (The History of Solar). The utilization of the Suns energy did not take its more modern forms until much later. The first known conversion of solar radiation into mechanical energy is credited to Auguste Mouchou, a French mathematics professor, who in 1860 started his work when he became concerned on his nations overreliance on coal. His initial experiments involved a cauldron incased in glass. Solar radiation entered the mechanism and was trapped in the form of heated water. These early machines were ineffective as they only produced minimal pressures. He quickly discovered that the machine could produce more steam if he added a reflector that allowed Mouchou to concentrate significantly more radiation (History of Solar Power). More recently experts have become aware of the possibility of using solar energy or photovoltaic, which are devices that generate electricity from a process that occurs in special materials called semiconductors, as a primary energy source (Photovoltaic). Interest in this idea spiked in the 1970s. In 1973, in response to international conflict, major oil exporting nations in the Middle East put an embargo on exports to the United States. Consequentially, the price of oil in the United States rose 130%. Although the embargo eventually ended, and the price of oil fell to more affordable levels, and the public had become hyper-aware of Americas overdependence on fossil fuels (The 1970s Energy Crisis). Many people started to look to alternate forms of renewable energy, such as photovoltaic cells. In 1977, the U.S. government created the Solar Research Institute, which researched the viability of solar power (History of Solar Energy). Following the 2008 financial crash and subsequent recession, which included a spike in oil

prices, many people again began to look towards renewable energy sources like solar. However, renewables were put on the backburner in response to the prospect of cheap and (seemingly) endless natural gas made possible by a new method of extraction called hydraulic fracturing or fracking. Questions remain whether natural gas will bridge the gap between fossil fuels and renewables, or if it will be a longer-term source of electricity generation (Yergin). The most recent development in Americas use of solar energy came with the completion of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, which is now the worlds largest solar power plant. It covers 4,000 acres of desert, contains 173,500 heliostats that collect the suns energy and will produce 392 megawatts of electricity that will provide energy for yearly average of 140,000 homes (Ivanpah Project). This solar power plant puts a promising face on the future and viability of the application of the Suns power to generate electricity and may also provide a way to reduce CO2 emissions that are damaging the environment.

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