The Solar Energy Investment Tax Credit to expire, Dec. 31st. WRITE YOUR CONGRESS PERSON!

Unless you’ve been hiding out in a bomb shelter for the past year,  you’ve noticed that energy prices keep going up, and that fossil fuels are becoming scarcer and scarcer.   One of the most major incentives for the development of renewable energy in the private sector is concentrated on stimulating growth of solar power technology.   Currently, there is a 30% federally mandated tax credit on the law books to help encourage investment in the photovoltaic industry, for the purpose of making green energy competitive with fossil fuels (and to my mind, keeping our economy and future from total utter collapse and environmental armageddon).   Because of the federal credit, this energy sector has been expanding rapidly, attracting green venture capitalists into the energy arena.   As a result, solar cells are becoming more and more efficient, almost daily—  but beyond efficiency, scientists are learning to store the energy as well.  Just recently, MIT researchers have overcome one of the biggest hurdles facing solar technology, the ability to bank energy for use when the sun doesn’t shine.  Inspired by a plant’s process of photosynthesis, energy can be stored for night (or whenever) use by splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen can then be burned (cleanly) to fuel our energy needs.  

Beyond this development,  with the adoption/implementation of nano technology,  we should see the solar cell efficiency greatly increase in the very near future, and also reduce in size.  Scientists envision a day when nano solar cells can be added to something as simple as house paint, which would brush on and create an entire energy capturing skin around your house.  

All and all,  the federal tax credit for solar power has helped the industry develop by leaps and bounds, but the credit expires December 31st, and many in the renewable energy field believe that the consequence of this incentive lapse could all but kill the advancement of solar technology.   Write your congress person and ask him or her to renew the credit!!!