Solar is the Solution

(Page 5 of 6)

December 2007/January 2008
By Steve Heckeroth 
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Geothermal         10,000

RELATED CONTENT

Tidal/Wave           5,000

The amount of solar energy available each year (yellow circle, Image Gallery) dwarfs supplies of any other source of power, including total reserves of all the fossil fuels on Earth (small circle, Image Gallery).

Total Global Non-renewable Energy Resources
(Terawatt hours*)

Coal                 6,000,000

Natural Gas      1,500,000

Uranium 235     1,500,000

Oil                   1,000,000

Tar Sands           800,000

Total:             10,800,000

*1 terawatt hour is equal to 1 billion kilowatt hours

Homes Powered by the Sun

Most of us depend on fossil fuels to keep our homes comfortable by providing heating, cooling and electricity. But surprisingly, it isn’t all that difficult to turn our homes from energy consumers into energy producers. New homes can easily be designed to take advantage of natural heat, light and ventilation; run more efficiently on less electricity; and be fitted with solar panels to produce electricity. Here are a few specific steps that make a big difference:

  1. Orient buildings to maximize solar exposure and protect them from prevailing winds. Use wind breaks and berms to channel cold weather around or over buildings.
  2. Add insulation to hold heat in winter and exclude heat in summer.
  3. Use sunrooms to capture solar energy when needed and vent it when it is not.
  4. Take advantage of natural light by using daylighting techniques.
  5. Use earth-sheltered building techniques to take advantage of natural heating and cooling provided by stable underground temperatures.
  6. Cool homes naturally using convection loops and cooling towers to circulate air.
  7. Add thermal mass to buildings by using dense materials, such as brick and stone on interior walls, to maintain more constant temperatures.
  8. Design overhangs and plant deciduous vegetation to shade living spaces in the summer but not in the winter.
  9. Plant food gardens and edible landscaping to produce more food at your doorstep.
  10. Install Energy Star appliances and water saving fixtures to conserve water and energy.

Annual World Energy Consumption

1980: 82,919 terawatt hours

2004: 130,971 terawatt hours

Projected for 2030: 205,686 terawatt hours

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

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