Hey everyone! I first wanted to say thanks for reading our blog and helping us spread the word about all the different ways we can be sustainable and help heal our planet. I wanted to focus this blog post on the future--what can we expect and hope for for the future of solar energy?
The main challenge for PV systems right now is becoming even more energy efficient while also becoming more cost effective relative to other forms of electricity generating technologies. For those trying to live "off the grid," solar energy is the best way to get electricity, but it is still relatively expensive. Most of us are connected to some find of electrical company (e.g. HELCO), but these companies charge a fee just to be connected to their grids ($18/mo) from what I remember. Another way of saying this is that even if you had enough PV panels to cover to entire cost of your monthly electricity bill, you would still have to pay $18 a month, unless you remove yourself from HELCO's grid. The problem with doing this is that during a power outage or is something malfunctioned with your PV panels, you would have no electricity unless you had a back-up generator. This is where costs begin to mount for those trying to live off the grid, with backup power sources. This is main area in which the cost of solar panels could lowered with great benefits.
Another big step we as a country need to make is more national incentive programs. Despite less sunlight availability than the U.S., Japan and Germany are leading the way in national incentive policies. Most of our incentive policies come from individual states, rather than our federal government. California is a great example of Hawaii can better promote solar energy. With their Million Solar Roofs Program, California aims to create 3,000 megawatts of new solar installations by 2017. Nationally funded programs would go a long way to help all states implement such programs as this.
Over the past 10 years, the solar industry has grown an average of 25% a year. This booming industry needs all of our help to continue to grow the way it has been. We all know we live on a planet with limited resources. We simply cannot continue to use them the way we have been. Solar energy is the best alternative energy source we have right now and a great way for us to take care of the only planet we have.
Live green, live happy!
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