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November 06, 2007
Solar energy boom may help world's poorest
Solar energy boom may help world's poorest - Yahoo! News
A surge in investment in solar power is bringing down costs of the alternative energy source, but affordability problems still dog hopes for the 1.6 billion people worldwide without electricity.
The sun supplies only a tiny fraction -- less than one tenth of 1 percent -- of mankind's energy needs. But its supporters believe a solar era may be dawning, boosted by western funding to combat oil "addiction" and climate change.
Governments from Japan to Germany and the United States are helping the public wean themselves off fossil fuels.
An average German household, for example, can earn over 2,000 euros ($2,860) a year from subsidies to install solar panels -- double their electricity bill -- and pay off all costs within 10 years and earn a pure profit for a further 10.
But there are few handouts in developing nations where it could be argued solar power is more relevant -- in sunnier countries where many people have no electricity at all.
Posted by Sun at November 6, 2007 05:48 PM