April 14, 2008
Doesn't Solar Power Require Sunshine?
This Bostonist always pictured solar panels being best-suited to dot the rooftops of sun-baked, equatorial locales. But according to the Associated Press (via the Herald), the Commonwealth is quickly becoming a leader in solar energy.
The AP piece talked to one solar executive whose biggest customer is Germany--not a country known for its tropical lifestyle. He says that, "Solar works better when you have cool, sunny days, so a solar system here in Massachusetts, if you have access to the sun and aren’t shaded by trees, can work as effectively as in a very, very hot climate like Arizona."
Governor Patrick has propopsed some extensive sustainable energy plans, and is "calling for the production of 250 megawatts of solar power by 2017. A single megawatt can power several hundred homes and 250 megawatts is the equivalent of a medium-sized natural gas power plant."
Even the Red Sox are getting into the act by preparing to install a solar water heating system at Fenway. Because the only thing better than taking a series from the Yankees is doing it in earth-friendly fashion.
Image by Pujanak via Wikipedia Commons.
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For the record Germany is the biggest customer for solar. Period. This is a country that receives solar potential equivalent to the state of Maine and has a population smaller than the 500 mile radius around New York City.
How did the Germans become the world leader in solar energy (a title the United States once held, as recently as 1997)?
Policy, policy, policy. They put their money where their mouth is.
We know that solar will work in the northeast. And we know that people want it. The question is: will our goverment leaders deliver?