Learn comprehensively in less than five minutes how PV solar panels work. If not for the political lobby of big oil much of our cities would be running on solar power and by now electrical vehicles will be ubiquitous. What makes PV solar power especially attractive is that it is very low maintenance since it doesn't use moving parts to generate electricity not to mention its green credentials. With a lot of independent research making headway into making PVs ever more efficient in energy output the next big question to consider is how PVs can compete with big oil in terms of cost.
Fortunately the cost of PV panels have reduced immensely since the mid 1970's when it cost a whooping $96 per watt compared to where it is now at $0.36 per watt! And it could go lower still to $0.08 per watt. This analysis comes from this video The Truth About Solar by Coldfusion. This 11 minute video will get you updated on the latest on PV solar tech development. According to the video the world will be generating 27% of its energy needs by 2050 but I think this is a very conservative estimation. PVs are already giving fossil fuel energy a run for their money, even in the current low price of fossil fuels in countries that commit to making PVs and other direct solar based energy generation the mainstay of their energy production out of environmental concerns.
The fact is solar energy is getting so cost efficient that traditional utility companies and energy investors are starting to shun it because it is difficult to rake in as much profits from it as they would from traditional power sources. This is according to a Bloomberg analysis in early 2015. While the argument that solar energy cannot be produced at night is still valid battery storage of excess energy generated during the day can easily solve this problem and battery storage systems too are getting cheaper and more efficient.
Fortunately it doesn't cost hundreds of millions of dollars to fund research into making solar tech ever more accessible to end consumers as compared to searching for new sources of fossil fuels, extracting and purifying it. And that work has been moving along without much fanfare since the 70's. If we are to move the green revolution more dynamically we cannot depend on politics (governments) and economies (utility companies) alone to provide us with solar energy. Those of us who have the future of our planet at heart can power ahead with DIY solar installations.
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