Take a Cool Guess—The Fun Quiz on Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability. Today’s Topic: The Solar Energy Industry
Question: The solar industry required 40 years to complete its one-millionth installation. How long did it take to double that to two million (a milestone achieved last month)?
Answer: Can be found at Clean Energy Answers.
Relevance: Solar is a $17 billion industry in the U.S. alone. Look for real dominance in the 2020’s.
Hi Craig,
Last night, I attended a panel discussion on climate change, technology, carbon taxing etc held at a prestigious University conducted by a equally respected left-leaning, think tank Institute.
The panel members were academics, scientists, political Green-left politicians, experts and a political advisor on Solar Energy.
The audience were mostly highly educated and with backgrounds in Hi-tech.
I was intrigued to discover, none of the panel and few of the audience, had the faintest idea of the materials used in the construction of Solar panels.
What was even more disturbing, no one had any idea (or declined to admit) a method for the safe disposal of obsolete panels.(the consensus being panels are easily recycled and non-toxic).
Not one of these experts were aware, (or would admit) that Australia, like most nations, has no facility to recycle or even dispose of solar waste safely.
Like California, Australia simply ships the waste elsewhere. (Most likely, Bangladesh or Africa).
In a bit over a decade or two the world will have maybe as much as 50-100 million cubic meters of scrap solar waste ! This would cover the land surface of 5-10 US States!
After some heated discussion, people in the audience began Googling, resulting in doubt and loss of faith in the ranks of the previously devout.
The supercilious Green-left politicians then committed the worst mistake a politician can make by trying to intimidate and bluster from a position of weakness. This only increased the loss of credibility as they lost, not only the audience, but their cool.
All very distressing, since my questions were sincere and I’d hoped for objective, well researched answers from people claiming to have spent years researching the issues.
The advocates for carbon tax (emissions trading schemes etc) became more disconcerted and truculent as others in the audience took up my second contribution, which was why was there no provision for solar panel disposal liability. (It really does cost 1.5x the cost of the new panel to safely recycle used solar panels at present).
Surely if “carbon” should be taxed as method of reducing emission for the fossil fuel industry, shouldn’t the same rule apply to all toxic polluters ?
Sadly, in this day and age, by the time I made my third point which was there’s no magic formulae with carbon tax concepts, either the taxpayer foots the bill or the consumer, the room had divided into three distinct factions.
The “true believers” resorted to name calling, the newly disillusioned (or always disillusioned) found their voice and confidence now armed by the “oracle” of Google, and became increasingly disruptive and angered at being treated disdainfully.
The remaining third seemed delighted with the unexpected turn of events which promised to enliven what was otherwise a fairly dull meeting.
On leaving I was approached by a young female graduate student and her friends. To my surprise, she apologized for her skepticism concerning my assertion that Exxon and BP were very early pioneers in solar energy.
Googling, she discovered I was right. She was astonished to discover the original Solar Power Corporation, headed by Dr Elliot Berman was a wholly owned subsidiary of Exxon. This was way back in 1968.(thirty years before she was born).
(I’ll be less skeptical of the influence of Google in future 🙂 )
TA security guard was surprised that at least half the audience had remained, arguing, debating and discussing, as apparently the audience for these sort of events dispersed quickly.
I was flattered to be asked to join a group of young professionals and grad students to adjourn to a nearby pub. It’s always heartening to witness the interest and energy clean tech arouses among the young.
Universities should be about discussion, challenging ideas and debate. In the decades to come,these bright young people will be forced to deal with the consequences of policies and decisions made today.