Solar Energy

Archive Report

New Interest in Solar Development

Enormous Abundance of Energy From the Sun

Solar energy is by far the most abundant energy source available to earth. The sun generates such an enormous amount of energy that the facts and figures are almost incomprehensible. Only an infinitesimal fraction of the sun's radiant energy strikes this planet, but our share still equals about 180 trillion kilowatts of electricity, or more than 25,000 times the world's present industrial power capacity. A few comparisons help to illustrate the awesome potential of solar energy. The energy in the sunlight falling on the surface of Lake Erie in a single day is greater than current annual U.S. energy consumption. The amount of solar radiation striking only 1 per cent of the nation's land ...

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