Schlenk 1 Rosalie Schlenk ENGL 138T Dr.

Haspel March 20, 2013 Persuasive Essay: Necessity of Solar Power Its the human condition to underappreciate what we are given when we become accustomed to its presence. A healthy body is taken for granted until it becomes frail and weak under the attack of the flu, and the simplest of tasks become mission impossible. The ease of having a world of information at your fingertips, ready and available with a couple of clicks is thrown into view when suddenly for some horrifying reason your Wi-Fi doesnt work. The everyday convenience of electricity isnt fully appreciated until a power line goes down and you are thrust back into the colonial era with candles and wood burning stoves. So isnt it fitting we also overlook the energy source we are so dependent upon already. The sun rises every day, consistently providing life-giving light and energy that feeds the crops we eat to survive. It sheds light on the earth for our daily activities to continue. We set aside time to appreciate the natural beauty of its daily motion as it rises and sets over a distant horizon. As far as we can be concerned in our lifetime, the sun isnt going anywhere. Its an everyday occurrence that has melted into the background of our consciousness. Even though the sun is not estimated to burn out for another couple billion years, its hard to imagine a world without the sun. Its an integral part of the functionality and survival of the entire world, but the sun also has so much additional potential we have yet to harness. According to National Geographic in one hour the sun radiates enough energy to satisfy the global demand for a year.

Schlenk 2 In contrast, todays technology yields less than a tenth of global energy demand (Solar Energy). Frankly I am taken aback by these proportions. Solar energy is a virtually infinite source of energy. Granted in 4.7 billion years we will need to explore new routes, but for the time being solar energy is a safe source for our new energy fixation. Its illogical that a worldwide energy source is so unutilized in our society. Oil and natural gas have born the enormous weight of global demand for far too long. We have long known of the messy nature of procuring, transporting, and burning crude oil, let alone the environmental implications of its continual, widespread use. Despite our knowledge of these facts, it has stayed the leading energy source at the expense of our pocketbooks and our planet. Of course, the push for solar power is not a new argument. Im sure youre all quite familiar with the whole global warming spiel, greenhouse gases and all that jazz. You know, the sermon that always comes from the same kinds of people who tell us the oceans are going to rise and the earth is going overheat. That the oil wells are going to dry up in ten years and all the forests will be gone. And they know how to hit you where it hurts. The only thing sadder than seeing a polar bear stranded on a melting chunk of ice is seeing a sad, abused kitten stare mournfully through the television into your soul during ASPCA commercials. What a bunch of lunatics and Doomsday forecasters. Surely they cant be serious? Well tolerate the sudden abundance of recycling bins and community gardens but taking that final leap of belief and dedication is not for the faint of heart. Dont be fooled when they tell you its an easy action that wont take you out of your way in the slightest. Its obviously a lifetime, binding agreement to take 5 minute showers, eat exclusively local produce, drive a hybrid car, and constantly chastise others for their enormous carbon footprint. Next thing you know youll stop eating meat and start

Schlenk 3 raising chickens and growing your own vegetables. Clearly these people are not to be trusted when it comes to their solar power. But take a moment to forget that pesky responsibility to the earth they wont let up about and youll start to see they might just have a few things right. Im almost certain you know of the environmental pros of solar energy. What information hasnt been beaten into your head is always readily available to be recited at a moments notice by the nearest environmentalist. To rattle off a few for good measure, clean energy, renewable and sellable energy, extremely efficient when strategically placed, etc. What you might not know is the benefits of solar power are not solely environmental; there are advantages that hit closer to home. Maybe the go green clan closest to you forgot to mention how much it would help you, as an individual with bills to pay, to partake in their crazy, wild, environmentally friendly ways. As it is considered an alternative energy in the shadow of fossil fuels, solar power does lend a homeowner to a variety of perks, the least of which is that warm, fuzzy feeling of doing a good thing for the world, a feat certainly worthy of a pat on the back. If that just doesnt cut it for you, there are beneficial programs at various levels of government to encourage solar power users. These programs are available for commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural, residential, and various other parties. State and city programs vary with given rebates, but some offer as much as 40% off the cost of a solar energy system. Businesses receive a 30% investment tax credit from the federal government as a solar incentive (Government Rebates and Tax). Additionally, you can sell back extra energy that your system creates. The reselling of energy is an emerging market. Renewable energy credits can be sold from solar energy producers to utilities that need to meet energy quotas for energy from renewable sources. As these quotas are not likely to change, it is a stable field for future business (Gangemi). It can be seen that the

Schlenk 4 market for solar energy is growing, but not at the pace it needs to. Thats where you come to the rescue with your newfound interest in saving and making money. Who doesnt love money? If youre worried about solar panels actually working, fear not. The science behind solar energy is certain. Its possible at this very moment to take a shower with water heated from the sun. Streetlights flicker on at dusk using solar power collected during the day. Even satellites orbiting the earth are outfitted with solar panels to keep them running. If thats not proof enough, I dont know what is. The way I see it, if its good enough for NASA, its good enough for me. Ideally the equipment needed to capture solar energy would be cheaper, but as Im sure you know it isnt a perfect world. New advancements are being made to make the process cheaper and competitive with current energy sources. The United States government, however, is not fully supportive of the solar energy cause, a fact that becomes uncomfortably clear when compared to other nations. Just this month, the Government of Japan put $2.95 million towards a photovoltaic generator and micro-grid control system (Japan provides grant for mega-solar power plant). Japan also proposed a 10% cut in the price of solar power. With a 20% decline in solar panel price and a 29% increase in solar capacity, they are revolutionizing the use of solar energy (Watanabe). For solar energy to really take off in America, were going to need the level of support the solar energy endeavor has in Japan. Its here were the role of an average person comes into play. While purchase of some form of solar energy for your home is ideal, not everyone has the luxury of affording the panels. If you are so lucky, I say full steam ahead. If solar outfitting is not an option, generating public interest will make solar power of greater interest to governmental officials who have the power to make subsidies happen. Even if you cant afford getting a solar energy system, its bringing the issue onto center stage that needs to happen. We need to get the

Schlenk 5 ball rolling. Now thats not to say America has not been having its own little victories on the solar front. In 2012, the solar market in America grew by 76%, with growth in residential, nonresidential, and utility market segments. Photovoltaic cell installations in the United States surpassed 300,000 (U.S. Solar Market Insight). But in a country of more than 3.13 billion people, it is not as impressive as is might first seem. We are trying, but we need to take it a step further. Think about this: getting better technology will make the price of solar energy decrease, making it cheaper for you to buy. So again, its in your wallets best interest to make solar energy development a goal. Lets face it, gas prices are not going to lower anymore. There will never again be a time of $0.25 a gallon. The supply simply will not grow at the rate we need it. Dead plant matter can only decay so fast. Investing in solar power technology is the most logical tactic for your own economic stability. Now, all these statistics and economical benefits might not have you completely convinced. Perhaps in the back of your mind there are a couple nagging thoughts, a few arguments some spoilsport used once upon a time to convince you that solar power was not a realistic option. Right now the strongest argument against solar energy would be the high cost of purchase, installment, and upkeep. Though technically true, the fact most solar panels come with a 20 year warranty is not taken into account, nor are those lovely, moneysaving incentives previously mentioned to aid with the cost of solar panels. Upkeep is does not have to be expensive. As long as you take care of environmental factors such as collection of snow, tree branches, or leaves, upkeep of solar panels is not difficult. Unless you want your roof to fall in, these are things you would have to take care of anyways. Its not as difficult as it might initially seem.

Schlenk 6 Its undeniable the flat cost of solar panels is still high. Lack of technology developments in America has kept solar energy and expensive endeavor. It would seem our government has deemed the issue of little importance at the moment. Fortunately disinterest is not the global sentiment; Japan is not the only one to take a vested interest in solar power. Germany has a nationwide dedication to developing and integrating clean energy from all of its citizens. Its enough support to make Germany the world leader in solar power despite having the solar potential of Alaska. Governmental policy in Germany fully supports the development of solar power, with provisions such as subsides. Because of this assistance its easier and cheaper to get solar power in a country where wind power is really the cheapest form of renewable energy, yet the Germans still have devoted themselves to developing solar energy (Plumer). Hopefully, our own government will soon see the necessity in investing in the future. Until then, small steps are always available. Starting with a solar power water heater will immediately reflect in the water bill. It is a $2,000 to $3,000 investment, but it will more than pay for itself in water bill savings. Additionally, there are state programs to help with this solar purchase as well. Even investing in new solar energy companies is worthwhile for the future of solar energy as a viable resource. Another argument you might still have against solar power is weather conditions. Cloudy weather, low sunshine areas, etc. are issues of concern for solar power. But these are locational issues, ones that have a simple answer. Solar energy can be stored. So like a battery the energy can be stored for later use and then moved, or when attached to a grid, sent directly for use in other locations. The versatility of solar energy is one of its best qualities. Solar energy could be collected in areas of high solar potential and sent to areas of lower potential. Solar grids would make the transportation of energy easier as well. Despite its various prospects solar power still remains more expensive than fossil fuels, though it is in no part due to the energy itself.

Schlenk 7 Technology can be advanced to cater to the capture of solar energy in a cost efficient matter, but without investments it is not likely to happen. Lets take a step back and remember the suns light is free. Free, one of my favorite words. Were getting all the energy we need at this very moment, even as you are reading this sentence. Its a matter of appropriating the right tools to harness it. Its like being at an all-youcan-eat buffet of energy and the only thing youre missing is a plate. With that comparison, were all actually losing money right now by ignoring the energy around us. Developing the harnessing technology is not an outlandish suggestion. We laboriously created machines specifically to use the crude oil we have to drill thousands of feet into the ground to get. So why not take such an interest in harvesting an energy we already have in front of us? Sunlight will always be there for us, so its time to make an effort to use it.

Schlenk 8 Works Cited Gangemi, Jeffery. "Selling Power Back to the Grid." Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg, 05 July 2006. Web. <http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-07-05/selling-power-backto-the-grid>. "Government Rebates and Tax Credits." SolarCity. SolarCity, n.d. Web. <http://www.solarcity.com/commercial/rebates-tax-credits.aspx>. "Japan Provides Grant for Mega-solar Power Plant." Matangi. Vava'u Press, 22 Mar. 2013. Web. <http://matangitonga.to/2013/03/22/japan-provides-grant-mega-solar-power-plant>. Plumer, Brad. "Germany Has Five times as Much Solar Power as the U.S. despite Alaska Levels of Sun." The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2013. Web. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/02/08/germany-has-fivetimes-as-much-solar-power-as-the-u-s-despite-alaska-levels-of-sun/>. "Solar Energy." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/solar-powerprofile/>. "U.S. Solar Market Insight." SEIA. Solar Energy Industry Association, 14 Mar. 2013. Web. <http://www.seia.org/research-resources/us-solar-market-insight>. Watanabe, Chisaki. "Japans Cut for Solar Power Price Retains Boom Incentive." Bloomberg. Bloomberg, 11 Mar. 2013. Web. <http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-11/japan-scut-for-solar-power-price-retains-boom-incentive.html>.