... Coming soon? Lease your roof for low-cost power

One productive possibility for capturing the sun's energy is to steer clear of costly high tech solutions that call for high efficiency capture of the sunlight. Since there is so much solar energy available, large, lower-cost solutions that are less efficient, may still be competitive. This has led to experimental roofing materials, including shingles, that are themselves low tech solar cells, and what they lack in efficiency they more than make up in lower cost and wide area coverage. Some of the compounds being explored are organic, and so far they have not demonstrated sufficient useful life to be commercially feasible. But much creativity is being devoted to this quest.
     In another new development, industrial companies, loath to spend the capital to install rooftop solar systems, are offering their flat roofs to specialized solar installers and agreeing to buy some of the power. These installers, knowing that they have an on-site market for some of the electricity they generate, can build out the facility with low cost financing and sell the excess power to the grid, sometimes at subsidized rates. If this is done well, everybody benefits.

As solar approaches the point where costs are competitive, various companies are preparing to capitalize on the ensuing adoption by developing and marketing component parts of future systems. For example, solar power is generally DC, and inverters are needed to convert to AC so that electrical devices continue to work properly. Some such devices can simply be plugged into the wall socket where they supply electricity by reversing the usual flow. Also, "smart" meters are available that allow measurement and debits/credits for inflows and outflows. It will help to keep the cost down when installations of solar systems in both residential and industrial settings are almost routine, using these and other standard devices.
     Reviewing all that is happening in this exciting field leaves a researcher with a few powerful impressions:

• 1.  There is far more than enough sunlight for us to tap
• 2.  Many initiatives are underway, and most exhibit optimism about their       prospects, probably excessively so
• 3.  Now that energy (finally) looks like it will continue to be expensive, the time       is near for solar to become mainstream.

      - DLA