Solar Energy efforts around the world

Science has been working hard to find solutions to the greenhouse emissions dilemma. Solar energy is something that has been studied for years. It is the process where the light and heat that come off of the suns rays are absorbed in solar panels and converted into energy. This innovation has been sweeping the globe. Many countries are becoming aware of this new energy process and are putting it to use. The issue of course is the fact that the sun is not always out. This means that the energy may lessen when it is a cloudy day. Places where sun is almost always out, like California, have been using this system. But California is not the only place. More and more states and countries are getting involved. Some are even tweaking and fine tuning the system.
           Dr. Sivananthan has been working for the United States for many years. He has studied energy and solar energy very closely. He has come up with a new method that will assist solar panels. He worked hard and came up with a crystal called cadmium telluride. This crystal is used as a high semiconductor that is used to turn sunlight into electricity. His work is helping to improve the SunShot incubator initiative. This is what has been established in order, to try and find ways to lower solar costs. The new crystal will give a more efficient guarantee to the panels. In California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Arizona a company called Sun Number exists. Their website is easy to use and allows customers a chance to see if they qualify for solar paneling. What I mean is that they can go on this site, put in their address, and the company will tell them how much money they would be saving if they switch to solar.
         In Quatar, Hamad Suleiman al-Ghafiri  is honored for his solar efforts. He is just a simple resident of Quatar, but thought that solar energy would be a more efficient way to power his home. He decided to harness the suns energy, with that he has been able to work electrical appliances, grow his corn and barley and lighting his house. Quatar is trying hard to get more people in the state involved in the solar movement. If more people think like Hamad, then many problems could be solved. In the U.S the department of agriculture and the department of commerce are trying hard to get utility companies on board in creating a solar energy infrastructure in the deserts of the southwest. Another U.S development is using mirrors or focus lenses to increase sunlight on cloudy days. This would keep the energy going like normal. England has created a system called FIT. FIT is set up to reduce the ROI for solar PV systems. A resident will receive a monthly payment by the utility company for every kilowatt- hour generated and used at the home. The excess is paid by the utility company in a high fixed rate.  Spain and Italy however did not anticipate how popular solar energy would become. They are working to have enough supplies and companies that are able and willing to set the system up. Spain is struggling to get enough materials and had to decrease solar use. India, like the U.S, has large areas of land that could set up solar infrastructures. China is by far one of the most popular when it comes to solar use. They used 50% of the worlds solar electricity in 2010. China is trying to have solar power facilities more than residential areas. These buildings use a lot of energy and it would be more efficient to switch them over first.
          Clean energy subsidies are happening in most countries, but Sweden has done the most. They have a policy where they require utility companies to supply fixed levels of power that is renewable or buy credits that can be traded to make up if their is a difference. Germany is subsidizing clean power generators, which they need to stop doing because it is actually costing more money for consumers. Germany is having a difficult time switching energy policies without amping up the cost. Sweden was able to do this smoothly, without a price leap. What is needed now is for Germany, and other countries to find a way to subsidize their energy without hurting consumers pockets.
         
Sources:

Nicola, Stefan. "Germany Urged to Copy Sweden's Clean-Energy Subsidies." Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, 05 Sept. 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

"Energy.gov." Solar. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

"Ministry Honours Qatari for Solar Energy Efforts." Gulf-Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

 

"World.eduNewsBlogsCoursesJobsPartners." Worldedu Solar Energy Incentives around the World Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.