Advancements in solar technology will allow more people to power their own homes

Sunday, December 27, 2009 by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com (See all articles...) Tags: solar energy, homes, health news

(NaturalNews) A recent issue of Inorganic Chemistry contains a report about the many advancements being made in the field of solar energy production. The concept of "personalized solar energy", a model by which people power their own homes using the energy from the sun rather than rely on the power grid, is becoming more viable as scientists have discovered improved ways of storing large quantities of solar energy.

The new method of energy storage is similar to plant photosynthesis. Scientists have designed a catalyst that splits water into oxygen and hydrogen that are then stored in fuel cells as fuel. The entire process from production to use is both clean and sustainable.

Dr. Daniel Nocera, author of the report, noted that energy use is expected to increase three-fold in the next century as countries around the globe continue to industrialize. The ability to capture and store energy from the sun has the real potential to solve the world's energy and pollution crises.

He further explained that self-sustained living through personalized energy production will release many in third-world countries from poverty. Since wealth is typically scaled alongside energy use, an increase in energy availability will help to increase the standard of living for those in living in the world's poorest countries.

Although the initial cost of solar equipment is typically high, the unlimited availability of free energy from the sun after the fact is an invaluable asset. Researchers recognize the potential benefits of energy independence both for the well-being of people and the environment and they hope that the concept will become more mainstream.

Comments by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger

I would like to believe that "personalized solar energy" is the wave of the future, but experience has taught me that certain forces in modern society don't like individuals to have their own independent power. Independent power means independent freedom (along with zero utility bills), and if there's one thing that the big power companies don't want right now is people generating their own power on-site (because it results in them losing customers).

Innovation is always the enemy of the status quo. Personalized solar power may, indeed, represent a technological breakthrough, but that doesn't mean the political environment will allow it to succeed. After all, free energy technologies like cold fusion (which isn't really "free" but it's close) have existed for two decades now and yet continue to be marginalized by mainstream scientists and universities.

Affordable, personalized solar energy sounds nice, but until the political climate changes to allow more personal freedom on this matter, it's going to remain on the fringe. Energy dependence is one of the main ways people remain controlled and powerless (literally), and the powerful institutions in our society aren't about to give up that control.

Sources for this story include:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-...