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Title: Advances in solar energy: An annual review of research and development. Volume 7

Book ·
OSTI ID:6635779

In Volume 7 of the Advances in Solar Energy we have targeted the research and development under the leadership of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), formerly the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI). This Laboratory is in an excellent position to judge the present state of the art and to review the advances made in variety of solar energy fields over the last two decades. Based on the NREL experience, the Laboratory also has been periodically involved in developing a more realistic forecast, and we felt, in deviation from our previous policy of reporting strictly reviews, that we should encourage NREL to update its latest forecast and to include it in the appropriate chapters. This forecast will be of great value to assess the presently visualized potential of solar energy conversion, and to place it more fairly in competition with other energy options. We must now review solar energy conversion in a global picture. The development of the field has progressed in rather distinct steps: the first major effort began in the mid fifties, when it became clear that current resources in fossil fuels are limited. About twenty years later, the next step was initiated by political motivation, to counteract the Middle-East-induced oil crisis. Again twenty years later, a new a even stronger motivation now requires further acceleration of research, development, demonstration, and commercialization of a mix of promising solar energy conversion means. This new driving force relates to the rapid growth of the world's ppopulation, its demand to live at a higher standard, hence requiring more energy, and the limited volume available on the planet Earth to dump the opulation's waste products. Most critical, and related to energy, is the CO[sub 2]-induced global warming and the disposal of nuclear waste. This requires an all-out effort and a delicate maneuvering to avoid political, economic, and ecological catastrophies.

OSTI ID:
6635779
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English