American Solar Energy

by Darren

American solar energy production and use is growing, and could be ready for a prime time expansion. Solar energy, along with wind energy, is a key component of the new Obama Energy Plan, which is an attempt by the current administration to reduce carbon emissions while increasing employment in “green industries.” For that reason alone, it makes sense to study the huge potential of solar energy . In the next few years, solar energy promises to be a hotspot for investors and a boon to workers.

Solar energy use in the US

The primary expansion of solar energy use in the United States will come from the upsurge in solar panel installations for homes, commercial buildings and government offices. The Department of Energy has already made a move in the direction of this expansion with a $535 million loan guarantee to Solyndra, Inc.

Solar energy use in America is set to soar with new solar panel installations on the rise

“Solyndra’s proprietary solar panel design transforms glass tubes into easy-to-install, inexpensive, high-performance solar panels, which can be installed on low-slope commercial, industrial, and institutional rooftops. Solyndra deposits thin films of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), a photovoltaic material, on the inner surface of glass tubes, which are then hermetically sealed on both ends with a metal caps. The glass tubes are then assembled into large, flat solar panels. The cylindrical design enables the CIGS material to capture direct, diffuse, and reflected sunlight, allowing the panels to be mounted flat and close together. This makes greater use of the rooftop area than a traditional flat solar panel, which is typically mounted in racks that tilt the panels toward the sun. The design also allows air to flow through the panels, keeping the operating temperature down and reducing wind loads, which in turn makes installation easier,” said the Department of Energy in a press release.

This is the type of investment that the US government will looking to make more of. With a technological improvement and a broad launch, new solar panel installations will rise sharply. This will help immediately reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce unemployment. The number of potential houses and office buildings that could be upgraded to solar is enormous, creating enormous potential for companies that specialize in solar energy production. American solar energy is bound to see a huge increase in coming years. Right now, total electrical production from solar energy in the US is around 1% of all energy consumed. That number will rise substantially as more solar panels are installed.

Greentech industry leaders are extremely happy about current legislation that is encouraging green collar job creation.

“We’re pleased about everything that happened — the solar energy incentives plus the green jobs bills,” said Mike Mattioli of Consolidated Solar Technologies. “When you look at the number of renewable energy bills that passed in the aggregate it gives you reassurance that our legislators are not just talking the talk — they’re walking the walk too.”

The current climate is a positive one for alternative energy companies. Since oil prices have dropped, less investment dollars are flowing into alternative energy companies so direct stimulation by the government comes a time when these companies might have been slacking off in the past. The US government plans on creating the demand by stimulating the market through “green” upgrades of government owned office buildings as well as by passing legislation that is favorable to green industries.

American solar energy has never experienced a more positive time than now. This may very well be remembered as the “Golden Era” of solar energy in the United States.