Back to the Future with Solar Power

"The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems." Mahatma Gandhi

Not long ago, on a slow night in a Panama City Bed and Breakfast, I was reading through a stack of old National Geographic magazines. In a 1979 edition, I happened on a full page advertisement on the future of Solar Power sponsored by the Exxon Corporation. Yeah, I know it sounds like a hallucination but this really happened, Exxon talking Solar.

Meanwhile, at that same moment in 1979, the US President Jimmy Carter, was installing Solar panels on the Whitehouse. This was shaping up as a pivotal moment in history with America leading the world into a Greener Future where even Exxon was considering the profit of alternatives. But suddenly it was 1980, a new President (Regan) was elected and the Oil industry was to become more heavily subsidized than the Planet might endure. An opportunity was wasted as we stepped back in time.

Stepping forward, circa 2011, the Sun is shining as I watch a Utube rendition of a US President`s State of the Nation. Obama speaks of America`s "Sputnik" moment as an opportunity to create Green jobs for a stronger, future economy. I`m getting a little excited after too many debates with friends regarding Canada`s need to go Green. These days Canada has become a follower, we can`t wipe our butts unless America does their`s first, and we need some help scrubbing the Oil from our eyes. Oil is going to be part of our future but does it need to be all of our future?   Is this finally a revival of Jimmy Carter`s Gaian moment 22 years late? Has America seen the light? Will Canada finally consider a future beyond the Oil Sands and Climate Change?

Now the US Energy dept is talking "Sun Shot" in the same light as John Kennedy`s inspirational "Moon Shot" talk of the 1960`s. Their "Sun Shot" goal is to reduce the cost of Solar energy by 75%. According to a noted Scientist and Visionary, Ray Kurzweil, this is not only achievable but inevitable. He sees nanotechnology applied to Solar leading to exponential growth in Solar delivery that will provide 100% of our energy needs in 16 years.

This sounds like a wake up call for the future ride of energy? If Obama can make this happen, the world had  better get on board or move to the back of the bus for this "Solar Shot" rocket. The science is coming and if America is onboard we`ll probably be landing on the Sun sooner than later!

 "I`d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don`t have to wait till coal and oil run out before we tackle that."       Thomas Edison