Technologies Shape Renewable Energy

摘要

THE UNQUENCHABLE THIRST FOR ELECTRICITY IS ONE OF THE DRIVING FORCES in the development and deployment of renewable energy technology. This technology also solves the quest for a clean energy source that will not be depleted. Most renewable energy comes to us directly or indirectly from the sun. Solar radiation absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere is dissipated in the form of wind, ocean currents and precipitation. It is a natural process that is constantly replenished, and the cost of the fuel is constant: zero. Solar and wind technologies have come a long way. Bell Laboratories first developed solar cells in 1953. A watt of electricity cost on the order of USD300 from this early photovoltaic (PV) cell. Technology has improved drastically while costs have dropped significantly. We are now paying around USD4 to USD5 per watt from larger PV arrays. Wind has come a long way, too.