Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 5.3
The Costs of Utilizing Solar Technologies
$
Environmental
costs
Dollar
costs
National security
costs
Dollar costs for decentralized application of solar thermal collectors for heating residential,
commercial, and industrial hot water and some space heating applications, and for solar photo-
voltaic collectors generating electricity, are “low” and competitive today with conventional fuels
in all but the most northern climates and in instances where collectors might be shaded from the
sun. Dollar costs for central-station generation of electricity by solar power plants are generally
higher than for decentralized nonconcentrating solar thermal technologies and photovoltaic sys-
tems, due to more complex operating systems, although they may be approaching competitiveness
with conventional fuels for central-station generation of electricity. National security costs for
all solar technologies are very “low” or negligible because the materials for producing them are
all available in the United States or from friendly nations. This is a very distinct and significant
advantage that solar technologies hold over other energy technologies that may have to be acquired
from foreign sources, may contribute to global climate change, or may leave a legacy of long-term
waste products attractive to terrorists.
Solar energy technologies do not produce much hazardous waste, and their general lack of
moving parts reduces the probability of an environmentally devastating accident to nil. Solar power
is also environmentally advantageous because its energy supply will never run out and cannot be
controlled by any combination of foreign governments. For the foreseeable future, sunlight will
always shine upon this planet, providing energy that solar technologies can exploit. This means
that creating the components of solar technology is extremely easy, does not require mining or
drilling in a dangerous locale, and can be achieved without involvement of unreliable political
Search WWH ::
Custom Search