Make renewable energy the better option

Posted at June 2, 2009

The Solar System's largest energy source!

Noone can tell me that using our Solar system’s largest energy source and sustainer of all life (the sun), to create energy, is a bad idea. There’s no valid argument out there against using this energy source to create clean renewable energy.

There’s something so pure, so simple, almost spiritual and something so organic about harvesting this massive energy source for clean renewable energy.

The sun’s there. It isn’t going anywhere. It’s been there for possibly billions of years. It’s never had a day off. It doesn’t break down. It’ll be there for what they think will be another 6 BILLION years. Plenty of fuel left in its tank. Let’s use it. Let’s tap into this energy source. Let’s take advantage of the Solar system’s largest energy source and sustainer of all life (the sun), to create clean and renewable energy. Why would be ignore this obvious energy source, when it’s just there, sending down free clean renewable energy?

Make renewable energy affordable, make it clean, and make it the better option.

Chinese solar hot water system

The example of this is in China, Dezhou, were just about everyone uses solar power for water heating because it’s the more affordable option. It’s the better option -

To the consumer, the appeal of solar hot water is largely economic: basic models of evacuated tube solar hot water systems start at around 1,500 yuan (US$190).

That would replace a conventional electric hot water heater that uses roughly 15kWh of energy per day. A natural gas heater probably uses pretty much the same, albeit cheaper, energy. But essentially, putting that solar heater on the roof offsets 15kWh worth of energy per day from other sources.

Solar is used to supply hot water in Dezhou not because they’re all trying to cut back on their carbon emissions and save the planet, but because it’s simply the better option. It’s more affordable than electric hot water systems. When you have renewable energy as the more affordable source of energy, then the market reacts to that and adjusts accordingly. No need for the hard sell on why they should be using solar hot water. They’re beating down a path to their door to buy their solar hot water system and use it.

Make renewable energy affordable, make it clean, and make it the better option.

Powers 153,000 homes!

The renewable energy focus should be IMO on Large Scale Energy projects, and not so much on the small scale energy projects. Small scale, like putting solar panels on your roof (which I have done) is great and I am a HUGE HUGE supporter, but Large Scale Energy is where the massive economies of scale happen, and thus, like the Solar hot water heaters in China, making renewable energy the affordable and the better option.

Right now, small scale energy is not that affordable. The upfront costs are significant and without government grants, incentives, it probably won’t grow as it’s growing now. I love small scale energy.

There’s something special about buying a solar panel, battery, regulator and inverter, and being able to make your own energy. That’s self empowering. That’s fantastic. There is a huge place for small scale energy, and it’s obviously an industry that should keep growing, employing more folks etc.

But this is not where the mass market is at. To serve the mass market with renewable energy, VERY Large Scale Energy projects are needed, where the costs per Kwh can be comparative to traditional forms of energy, generated from fossil fuels. When those costs are less or comparative to traditional forms of energy, then you’ll see a market similar to the Chinese solar hot water systems. Then you’ll have renewable energy as the better option.

The renewable energy industry cannot hang its hat on the environment, and must stand on its own feet with the sole intent to make renewable energy affordable, make it clean, and make it the better option.