Practice Makes Perfect Advanced English Reading and Comprehension by Diane Engelhardt

Author:Diane Engelhardt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
Published: 2013-04-12T04:00:00+00:00

11 Despite the safety, efficiency, and numerous environmentally friendly applications of solar energy, commitment to its development has fluctuated with the price of oil, particularly in North America, where government energy policy is strongly influenced by oil companies. During the 1973–74 OPEC oil embargo and the ensuing energy crisis, President Carter had solar panels installed on the White House, and the U.S. Department of Energy initiated the Federal Photo-voltaic Utilization Program to install and test PV systems, many of which are still in operation. When the embargo was lifted six months later, oil prices stabilized and solar energy as a national energy policy ended up on the back burner.

12 In the meantime, solar energy has fared better in energy-conscious Europe and Japan, where the solar industry is promoted through government subsidies and tax incentives. Since 1990, Germany has become a world leader in thermal solar technology and the foremost installer of photovoltaic systems, having spent billions so far to promote solar energy. In Spain, all new buildings are required to include solar power, and Japanese researchers have developed a solar cell that can store electricity as well as generate it. Solar power is the cheapest, most practical solution for developing nations and remote areas without access to a national power grid, such as Antarctica and rural areas in China.

13 The onset of global warming and warnings from reputable organizations such as the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, have revived the solar market in North America and spurred government support of solar technology. In the United States, consumer demand and government tax credits are giving sales of solar systems a boost. In the first quarter of 2012, solar panel installations increased 85 percent over the previous year’s first quarter, and total installations are expected to reach 3,300 megawatts, making the United States the fourth largest solar market.

14 If the upward trend continues and the global solar industry grows to a predicted $51 billion by 2014, it could very well be said that the world is beginning to see the light.

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