PV Gap

Dianne Said:

Future in solar power as a career, where should I start?

We Answered:

ur right. the trend is certainly encouraging. perhaps you should ask universities and colleges (that offer degrees in this area) about market demand and pay scales. They'll guide you very well. At the following link, you'll find a list of about 10 or so reputable institutes/uni/colleges that may help you.

Kevin Said:

Why is Solar Power important as an alternate source of power for the future? (Four reasons)?

We Answered:

-clean (no pollution)

-Renewable (always there until the sun dies)

-if everyone does it, then its cheap $$$

-Efficient ( only ~30% now, but in the future it will be much more efficient)

-Removes the dependence on solid fuels such as Oil.

-low maintenance costs( hardly need repairs)

-The amount of energy used to produce a panel will be returned from the panel within 5 years.

Erica Said:

What is the future of solar power around the world?

We Answered:

The solar generation of energy is a very fast moving technology.
The current negatives include:
In this country (US), the expense is still above that of wind, water, oil or coal by a factor of 3 or more.
It is best only for stationary applications.
It is intermittent (subject to a high concentration of clouds or heavy overcast) and therefore must include batteries for storage in any stand-alone application.
All of the hoopla regarding being a zero pollution source disregards the building of the actual cells and batteries used.

Positives:
The expanding technology! In one case, the cell can actually be "painted" onto existing surfaces.

Negatives aside, in many other countries today (http://www.tatabpsolar.com/) solar is giving many people a new lease on life. They do not have power plants anywhere outside of major cities and no infrastructure to carry it beyond the immediate area.
As research continues to increase efficiency and reduce costs, more and more solar sourced energy will be a part of the overall picture.

Ruben Said:

Future career involving solar power... where to start?

We Answered:

Yes, in the long term, solar will be one of the few sources of energy remaining. currently, demand is low, but there are some artificial factors at-play, such as general unavailability of high-efficiency amorphous cells.

if you can engineer a way to bring return on investment to < 2yrs, you can build a career for yourself.