"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." -- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
Solar energy, despite all of the effort to increase its usage, still only accounts for less than one percent of the energy we consume. The amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth's surface every hour is greater than mankind's total demand for energy in a whole year.
The total energy stored in the world's supply of fossil fuels is equal to just twenty days of solar energy. By any measure, the sun is a powerful and virtually limitless source of energy and it is imperative that we capitalize on this clean energy source by increasing our use of solar energy and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
How do we begin to capitalize on such a rich source of energy? Both distributed and utility-scale solar energy projects are vital to accommodate the world's growing energy needs as they are both suited to harness the extraordinary power of the sun. The underlying technology used by utility and distributed solar is different and understandably, each has its own proponents and detractors.
For the most part, utility-scale solar projects use solar collectors to generate enough heat to power a steam turbine that in turn generates electrons. Distributed solar energy derives primarily from the use of photovoltaic panels that capture photons and convert them into electrons. Distributed PV efficiency is improving all the time. Currently, there is a conversion efficiency of approximately 17% for crystalline silicon panels and 10% for thin film panels -- a dramatic improvement from only a few years ago...
David Anthony is an experienced entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and educator. Since founding 21Ventures in 2003, the firm has provided seed, growth, and bridge capital of more than $400 million to over 40 technology ventures across the globe focusing mainly in the cleantech arena. David Anthony sits on the board of a number of 21V portfolio companies including (partial list) Advanced Telemetry; BioPetroClean, ETV Motors, and Variable Wind Solutions. David also serves on the board of directors of several publicly traded companies including Axion Power International, Inc. (OTC: AXPW); Clean Power Technologies Inc. (OTC: CPWE) Entech Solar Inc (OTC: ENSL) and ThermoEnergy Corporation (OTC: TMEN).
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