United States heavily supports solar power

Solar power is often talked about as the renewable energy source that will build low-carbon future. This is mostly because Sun is the most abundant source of energy available in our planet. According to the latest polls solar power is the most popular renewable energy source in United States, and Americans want more new solar energy projects to replace the need for new fossil fuel stations.

Solar energy sector is the fastest growing renewable energy sector in United States. In the period between 2000-2010 wind power sector led the way but things started to change in 2010, and while U.S. wind power industry has entered a certain period of stagnation U.S. solar power industry is looking better than ever.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has started heavily supporting new solar energy projects. The latest proof to this is Solar Reserve’s Crescent Dunes concentrating solar power (CSP) project in Nevada that will receive a $737 million loan guarantee from the DOE.

This project, once finished should generate around 500,000 MWh annually, enough for 23,000 U.S. homes. It will also use heliostats that focus sunlight onto the molten salt in order to provide uninterrupted electricity delivery because the molten salt is able to store thermal energy for up to ten hours.

Solar energy needs adequate support from government because it is still more expensive energy option compared to fossil fuels, though it also needs to be said that the prices of solar power technologies are constantly declining, bringing solar power technology closer and closer to fossil fuels in terms of cost-competitiveness.

Of course, solar energy still has a long way to go before becoming dominant source of energy. Fossil fuels are still dominant sources of energy and are likely to continue their dominance for at least the next couple of decades. This however doesn't mean that solar power industry should just relax and wait for the moment in which world will run out of fossil fuels. Solar power industry needs to build on its current momentum and continue to develop in order to ensure smooth transition to clean, renewable energy once fossil fuels will no longer be able to satisfy the ever growing demand for energy.

(Source: http://www.renewables-info.com/energy_news_and_reports/united_states_heavily_supports_solar_power.html)