Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- About This Book
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Global Warming and Climate Change
- 2 Solar Power and Sustainable Energy Technologies and Their Impact on Global Economy
- 3 Overview of Solar Power System Technology
- 4 Solar Power System Economics
- 5 Long-Term Project Financing and Power Purchase Agreements
- 6 Solar Power Rebates, Financing, and Feed-In Tariffs Programs
- 7 Importance of Solar Power System Peak Power Performance and Solar Power System Hazard Mitigation
- 8 Solar Power System Econometric and Analytical Software Solution
- 9 Economics of Carbon Dioxide Sequestration and Carbon Trading
- 10 The Smart Grid Systems Deployment and Economics
- 11 Environmental Design Considerations
- 12 Energy Storage Systems
- Appendix A Unit Conversion and Design Reference Tables
- Appendix B Energy Systems
- Appendix C Glossary of Solar Energy Power Terms
- Appendix D California Solar Initiative – PV Incentives
- Index
2 - Solar Power and Sustainable Energy Technologies and Their Impact on Global Economy
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 November 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- About This Book
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Global Warming and Climate Change
- 2 Solar Power and Sustainable Energy Technologies and Their Impact on Global Economy
- 3 Overview of Solar Power System Technology
- 4 Solar Power System Economics
- 5 Long-Term Project Financing and Power Purchase Agreements
- 6 Solar Power Rebates, Financing, and Feed-In Tariffs Programs
- 7 Importance of Solar Power System Peak Power Performance and Solar Power System Hazard Mitigation
- 8 Solar Power System Econometric and Analytical Software Solution
- 9 Economics of Carbon Dioxide Sequestration and Carbon Trading
- 10 The Smart Grid Systems Deployment and Economics
- 11 Environmental Design Considerations
- 12 Energy Storage Systems
- Appendix A Unit Conversion and Design Reference Tables
- Appendix B Energy Systems
- Appendix C Glossary of Solar Energy Power Terms
- Appendix D California Solar Initiative – PV Incentives
- Index
Summary
Introduction
In the past couple of decades, solar power as well as sustainable energy system deployment have been misunderstood and largely dismissed as viable sources of sustainable energy. More specifically, the valuation of solar power system technology as a viable source of clean energy has in some instances been hampered, mainly by a lack of appreciation of the technology’s impact on the national and global economy and its significant long-term benefits to human welfare and global ecology.
When considering the trade-off of inexpensive power generated by coal and other fossil fuels versus degradation of the ecosystem, which is essential to the sustenance of human and animal life, we must also measure the costs of sustainable energy and its significance in relation to the survival of life itself.
Unfortunately, competing business interests and market forces have recently flooded the news and television media with negative opinions and notions in regard to the viability of sustainable energy systems. These reports are frequently inaccurate and wholly misrepresentative of technologies that hold great promise for significant long-term benefits to the global ecology and economy. As a result, alternative energy systems, and more specifically solar power technologies, have been dismissed and labeled as expensive and inefficient solutions unable to meet the ever-increasing demand for global energy. Yet coal-fired electrical energy advertisements have taken center stage and have been branded as “clean energy” that could solve today’s and tomorrow’s world energy shortcomings.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Large-Scale Solar Power SystemsConstruction and Economics, pp. 10 - 18Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2012