Solar Energy Renewable Energy and the Environment

Preface
The twenty-first century is rapidly becoming the �perfect energy storm�; modern society is faced
with volatile energy prices and growing environmental concerns, as well as energy supply and
security issues. Today�s society was founded on hydrocarbon fuel�a finite resource that already
is one of the main catalysts for international conflicts, which is likely to intensify in the future.
The global energy appetite is enormous, representing over $6 trillion per year, or about 13% of
global gross domestic product (GDP). Unfortunately, the vast majority of this energy is not efficiently
utilized for buildings, vehicles, or industry. This is especially true in the United States,
which has about double the per-capita and GDP energy usage rates as compared to the European
Union and Japan. The inefficient use of energy strongly exacerbates the global energy crisis. It
is time to shed the outdated �burn, baby, burn� hydrocarbon energy thinking with a new energy
vision; the time for clean energy solutions is here. Only through energy efficiency and renewable
energy technologies can modern civilization extricate itself from the gathering perfect energy
storm.
The United States is addicted to the consumption of fossil fuels. The country obtains about twofifths
of its energy from petroleum, about one-fourth from coal, and another quarter from natural
gas. Two-thirds of oil in the United States is imported; if business continues as usual, by 2020,
the country will import three-fourths of its oil. In 2006, the United States spent $384 billion on
imported oil. By 2030, carbon fuels will still account for 86% of U.S. energy use with a business-asusual
approach. The United States uses about 100 quadrillion BTUs (29,000 TWh) annually. From
this, 39% is energy for buildings, 33% for industry, and 28% for transportation. On average, the
country uses 1.4 times more energy than the European Union and Japan in industry, 2.5 times more
energy in buildings, and 1.8 times more in transportation. Like the United States, these countries
are very much dependent on oil imports. However, in comparison to the United States, Japan uses
only 53% energy per capita and 52% energy per GDP, while the European Union uses only 48% and
64%, respectively.