Energy from the Sun

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Scientific American; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0990-146· OSTI ID:5475954

Weinberg, C J ^[1]; Williams, R H ^[2]

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1. Pacific Gas Electric Company (USA)
2. Princeton Univ. (USA)

Interest in solar-derived technologies is resurging in response to mounting environmental concerns, including the threat of climate change. Progress is occurring rapidly. Advances in wind, solar-thermal and biomass technologies will soon render them cost-competitive with gasoline and coal-generated electricity. The paper discusses hydroelectric power, wind power, solar thermal electric generation, photovoltaic electricity, biomass conversion, and hydrogen production. Constraints to energy source development are also described.

• OSTI ID: 5475954
• Journal Information: Scientific American; (United States), Vol. 263:3, Issue 3; ISSN 0036-8733
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
BIOMASS
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
HYDROELECTRIC POWER
HYDROGEN FUELS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
SOLAR THERMAL CONVERSION
WIND POWER
BIOMASS PLANTATIONS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CLIMATES
COAL
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPETITION
COST ESTIMATION
ELECTRIC POWER
ENERGY DEMAND
ENERGY POLICY
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
ETHANOL FUELS
HEATING
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
METHANOL FUELS
PETROLEUM
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION
USA
ALCOHOL FUELS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONVERSION
DEMAND
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY SOURCES
EVALUATION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
POWER
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SYNTHESIS
SYNTHETIC FUELS
299000* - Energy Planning & Policy- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation
293000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
290500 - Energy Planning & Policy- Research
Development
Demonstration
& Commercialization