Solar Power: Energy’s Bright Future?

Last week, the world’s largest solar power facility opened in California, to the tune of $2.2 billion (Blood & Skoloff). The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is the latest in the Obama Administration’s SunShot initiative, a drive towards cleaner American energy. The goal of the initiative is solar energy that costs $0.06 per kilowatt hour (KWh), a yield more efficient than traditional fossil fuels. Critics of solar technology argue the steep costs as a barrier to entry as well as low-efficiency. Regardless, solar energy is a worthwhile venture in today’s ultracompetitive energy marketplace because of its cost-effective and simple solution to today’s energy crisis.
The vast majority of today’s energy production is tied to hydrocarbons, compounds composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms. In the energy world, “The Big 3” is often used to refer to oil, natural gas, and coal collectively. Together they make up some 76.5% of domestic energy production. Hydrocarbon-based fuel sources are also called non-renewable energy sources because they form through processes that take millions of years. They cannot be easily replaced, and global dependence on them has created an energy crisis as humans rapidly deplete their reserves. It is estimated that oil will last for another 50 years, natural gas for 70 years, and coal may last up to 250 years (BBC). An alternative energy source is desperately needed, one that is both environmental friendly to combat global warming, and also renewable.
While nonrenewable energy prices’ skyrocket due to a dwindling supply, solar energy is rapidly dropping in price. The Department of Energy states that solar energy cost 21.4c/KWh in 2010 and dropped to 11.2c/KWh in 2013, a 52% decrease. They also estimate ...

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