The following is a rough transcription of a speech that was delivered by the Honorable Steven Chu, President Obama’s nominee for Secretary of Energy. This speech was given on November 19, 2009, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
A Few Words About the Presentation
This talk will be presented in two parts. The first part will be a general overview of the subject matter of the speech and the second part will be a discussion of the key points made in the overview. It is intended that the reader follow the general outline of the presentation and be able to better understand the points made by focusing on the general framework of the argument rather than the detailed minutiae of the presentation.
The Basics Of Solar Energy
Before we begin, let’s just establish the basics. What is solar energy?
Well, you might guess that the sun is the source of all solar energy but that is not quite right. In fact, the sun is the source of all light, but not all solar energy is light. Solar energy is the energy that is released from the sun. When the sun hits the earth, it heats up the surface and the heat is transferred to the air around us. This is the basic principle behind solar energy. We will discuss it more in the next section.
Where Does The Heat Go?
It is really important to understand where the heat goes in the process of generating solar energy. First of all, the heat is transferred to the air around us and this is what produces what is known as the thermal effect. The heat is also transferred to water and this is what produces what is known as the hydro effect. Water molecules are able to move more easily than air molecules, which means that they are able to transition from a state of high energy to a state of low energy more easily. This is why water is crucial to a sustainable energy future and why any future technologies that are based on solar energy will almost certainly utilize water in one way or another.
Why Is Solar Energy So Important For Future Technology?
If we are going to solve our energy problems, we have to start somewhere. There is no question that we will have to turn to some sort of renewable energy but the fact is that we just don’t know where else to turn. While we are still developing the technologies to utilize solar energy, we already know that it has great potential to solve our energy problems. Here are just a few of the reasons that solar energy is so important for future technology.
- It is a sustainable energy source
- It is already available in large quantities
- It can be used to produce virtually everything that we need
- It does not pose the same threat to the environment as other energy sources
- It does not require the same amount of resources to produce as other sources
Why Is Solar Energy The Best Choice For Future Technology?
As we have established, solar energy is crucial to solving our energy problems. That said, there are many different types of solar energies and they are all perfectly suited for production in a sustainable manner. When it comes to selecting the best solar energy for our needs, there are many factors that we have to consider. Here are the top five considerations when selecting solar energy for our individual situations:
- Reproductivity
- Cost
- Availability
- Mobility
- Eco-friendliness
The Sun Is Constant. Will Our Energy Needs Change?
One of the primary things that distinguishes solar energy from other forms of energy is its unvarying nature. The sun will always provide more energy than we need and it will continue to do so as long as the world keeps on spinning. It is true that the amount of energy that we need will fluctuate with the seasons but even then, the sun will still be able to provide more energy than we need. This makes solar energy the perfect sustainable energy source.
How Big Is The Potential For Solar Energy?
We already know that the sun provides us with more than enough energy to meet our needs and it is important to bear in mind that this is from one source, which means that we are not spreading our energy needs over a large number of different energy sources. We are also not limited to using solar energy for energy production. It is, in fact, rather easy to convert solar energy into a variety of other useful forms. For example, we could use solar energy to create steam and run turbines to produce electricity or we could use it to provide heating for buildings.
What About The Future Of Solar Energy?
While we are already seeing amazing progress in the field of solar energy, it is important to keep in mind that this is a new and as yet, undeveloped field. There is still a lot that we do not know but with careful consideration and a bit of research, we will surely figure it all out. For now, we must be content knowing that solar energy is the best choice for our individual situations. It is also the most practical choice available and given the present state of solar energies, it is certainly a choice that we can continue to rely on in the years to come.