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Dr. Mercola
December 11 2007
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Solar Energy Soon to be Cheaper Than Coal

The Nanosolar company is working to build the world’s largest solar cell factory in California (slated to be in full production in 2008), and the world’s largest panel-assembly factory in Germany.

They have successfully created a solar coating that is as thin as a layer of paint, while at the same time reducing the cost of production from $3 a watt to only 30 cents per watt. For the first time in history, solar power will be cheaper than burning coal.

Nanosolar won the Popular Science Innovation of 2007 award, and they plan on producing their first product next year. They have been able to reduce the price of solar power by 90 percent. This has the potential to radically change the equation when it comes to choosing your energy sources.



Dr. MercolaDr. Mercola's Comments:

I am building a new office building for my practice and web team and we hope to move in in the spring of 2008, so this is an important current topic for me.  

It seems obvious to me that this technology will allow us to not only radically lower our utility bills, but do it with non-polluting clean solar energy.  Unfortunately the commercial production of these solar cells will not start till next year, but it seems quite clear that this is industry shattering innovation. That is probably why my favorite technology reporting periodical, Popular Science, voted Nanosolar the Innovation of the 2007.  

There is enough energy in the sunshine that falls on the earth in one hour to satisfy the energy needs of the entire human race for ONE YEAR.   We simply have to stop this crazy reliance of fossil fuels.  Nanosolar seems to be the best bet I have seen to date to start this transition.  

The fact that most leaders of the world have been unwilling to fully endorse wide use of solar energy is most likely because they can’t make money from it – just as with the current medical paradigm; sick people are sources of profit, healthy people are not. Likewise, energy self-sufficient communities are not something these corporate and political giants are rooting for. 

Why Solar is a Win-Win-Win for You, Your Children and Your Environment 

Not only can solar power now beat out coal in terms of cost, but your children and your environment can benefit along with your budget.

Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of mercury emissions in the United States, and are a major reason why many of our fish are too toxic to eat. And, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 12 women of childbearing age have mercury levels in their blood that exceeds levels that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says is safe for fetuses.

The toxic effects of mercury emissions are well established. Studies from previous years have found that 40 percent of mercury emissions come from coal burning power plants and have been found to cause neurological problems. Yet the United States has been dragging its feet when it comes to regulating these emissions, and the longer we delay in adopting alternative sources of renewable, non-polluting forms of energy, the longer we put countless infants and children at risk for brain damage.

In addition to mercury, which can cause numerous health problems, including damage to your central nervous system and neurological and developmental problems, coal-fired plants emit four additional pollutants:

  • Sulfur dioxide, the leading cause of acid rain
  • Nitrogen oxides, which contribute to smog-forming ground-level ozone
  • Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas implicated in global warming
  • “Fly ash,” which are lung-damaging soot particles
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Community Comments ( 64 )
 Comment on this Article
  
  
shiva
 [ Joined on 10/06 ] [ Posted on November 26, 2007 ]
17 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
The only reason why the world has not been relying on such energy sources as solar or wind is the fact that such energy sources would allow the individual to be energy self sufficient and that is a threat to the economic power structure.

Whoever controls the energy supply in the world, controls the world. ... which of course goes along with the fact that whoever controls the money supply controls the world. ...... Money is a vehical for energy.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
barbic1953
 		[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on November 27, 2007]
12 Points        
   
Novice User
  Mercola
...and add to that ... whoever controls the food controls the world.
Mercola
  
Russ Bianchi
 		[ Joined on 09/06 ]  [ Posted on November 27, 2007]
2 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Google announced today they are going to back this effort.
Mercola
  
lively
 		[ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on December 11, 2007]
6 Points        
   
Novice User
  Mercola

...and add to that ... whoever controls the information controls the world:

Foxed Out Part 1

www.livevideo.com/socialservice

Foxed Out Part 2

www.youtube.com/watch

Mercola
  
rrgrassi
 		[ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on December 11, 2007]
3 Points        
   
Novice User
  Mercola

Google "Journey to Forever".  There are ways of making your own fuels and electricity.  I currently use alternative fuel in my car, because it is a 25 y/o model, and is easy to experiment with.  As money allows we are looking to geo-thermal heating/cooling and solar and wind for electricity.  I live in a rural area and feedingthe power grid will result in the power company paying us.

Dr. Mercola, you are on the right track.  My Dr, who is a D.O. and practices conventional and holistic medicine, advised me to follow your diet plan.  YEAH!

Mercola
  
tesaje
 		[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on December 12, 2007]
-2 Points        
   
Novice User
  Mercola

Solar WIND is extremely toxic space radiation that blows off the sun at extremely high speeds that our atmosphere protects us from.  The solar RADIATION that hits the earth is primarily light waves, some UV waves, infrared and radio waves.  These can be harnessed and turned into clean electricity.  The most toxic spectrum is filtered out by the upper atmosphere (e.g., ozone).

Perhaps you are confusing solar cells that absorb the earth surface sun radiation to turn into electricity with wind turbines that use the mechanical force of the surface wind to make electricity.  Entirely different technology with different effects on the environment.

Mercola
  
Omawazzi
 		[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on March 4, 2008]
       
   
Novice User
  Mercola

It is indeed unfortunate for the people of this world that;

Money is so often above the Law.

Mercola
  
"Jean"
 		[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on March 30, 2008]
       
   
Novice User
  Mercola

Also, whoever controls the water.  Which is on the horizon.  But I don't think they will get away with it as from what I have been reading and hearing the past few years, we are in the end times, and the Lord is coming back soon.  It will be the day of reckoning for these evil masters (so called).

  
  
acu doc
 [ Joined on 05/07 ] [ Posted on December 11, 2007 ]
9 Points        
   
 
Apprentice User

We have been living on solar power for 6 years now and here's what we have learned:

1.  Solar is for rich people.  We have  2000 watt system that we designed and built ourselves.  It cost us $10k.  It would have cost 20k if we bought it off the shelf. We live more conservatively than most people could even imagine.

2.  It doesn't matter if you have 100% efficient solar panels.  Until they release advanced storage (battery) technology, solar will always be impractical.  After 6 years, our batteries are dying and it now costs the same to replace them as to hook up to the grid, which is exactly what we are going to do in the spring.  The terrorists at the top know that, and battery engineers who figure out solutions to this problem disappear.  The BATTERIES are the issue, not the generator.

3.  Most people have an unrealistic, romanticized idea of what solar is about.  Talk to a few regular people who are living with it before you jump into it - NOT the people with $50,000 systems.

4.  Solar is only practical in a small region of the country.  We have LOTS of sun in the summer, but we run the generator a lot in the winter.

5.  The only solution to the energy problem is going to come from people who think OUTSIDE the box - Tesla caliber thinkers.  Our entire power generation system is stone-age technology.  We need someone to invent a "miracle" and then release it to the internet FOR FREE so fast that it can't be stopped.  That will change the world instantly.

 [ Reply ]
  
  
kenhosch
 [ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on December 11, 2007 ]
9 Points        
   
 
Novice User

Are we still in fear because of terrorism in this country?? We should be concerned about it, agreed, but let's face it, the big moneymakers are doing a much better job ruining our future

than any group of terrorists ever could!! We can only hope that something drastic is going to change before this country is destroyed from the inside out. We don't need outside forces, we can do a much better job all by ourselves. Do I have to mention the main culprits?????     Ken

 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
rosw
 		[ Joined on 12/07 ]  [ Posted on December 24, 2007]
-4 Points        
   
This user is BELOW novice level and all their comments need to be reviewed with great caution.
  Mercola

Ken

Are you a communist nut case or what? You have to be to say that industry is worse than the terrorists. How naive!!  Or, are you 13 years old. You need psychiatric help for sure.

  
  
nomitopper
 [ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on December 11, 2007 ]
7 Points        
   
 
Novice User

When I was growing up in Israel in the 50's , we used solar panels on the roof of the house to heat the boiler (That was how everyone in my area heated their water) . It is still there. It looked simple , the panels absorbed the energy from the sun during the day and there was always hot water in the house.  I don't understand how such a great source of energy was ignored for such a long time. Nomi.

 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Sonagi
 		[ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on December 11, 2007]
       
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola

I lived in Qingdao on the eastern coast of China a few years ago.  Qingdao residents take advantage of their sunny climate by designing all school buildings to have south-facing windows and solar panels on the roof are a common sight on upper middle class homes.  Energy is more expensive in China, hence the relative affordability of solar power.

  
  
The Major
 [ Joined on 10/07 ] [ Posted on December 10, 2007 ]
7 Points        
   
 
Novice User

I would hope that anyone over the age of 3 knows that any viable alternative to burning fossil fuels is going to be crushed long before it can ever be adopted by large numbers of people. The greenies are wasting their time and strength trying to change anything in this area. The big money people control the energy and they control the government and they don't care one jot what you think. Lots of people have made water powered cars and free energy devices and either been bought out, killed or the government has not allowed them to market their invention by saying it violates established "science" and therefore cannot work and they would be charged with fraud if they tried to market it without even investigating if they work or not.

 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Mrylu
 		[ Joined on 12/07 ]  [ Posted on December 11, 2007]
9 Points        
   
Novice User
  Mercola

It would be far more valuable to be specific about these abuses you mention, rather than the vague almost libelous references you make.  Otherwise this attitude of futility is very damaging to you and to everyone else.  It is especially damaging to those of us who are living a very green life and who hope to be models for others.  Be glad that the conversation of the sixties has been restored.  We are way behind but it is not hopeless. I, myself am devoting the remainder of my life to 'walking lightly on the planet' for the sake of my grandchildren and future generations.  

You need to find a Meet-up group in your area, to restore your faith. Go to a meeting as an interested party and listen.  You will be amazed at how much is happening in the environmental/sustainability/ecological community.  Realize that the world is changed 'one person at a time'.  Realize your power.

Mercola
  
anotherpointofView
 		[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on March 29, 2008]
1 Points        
   
Novice User
  Mercola

You Sir, seem like a phony to me.