Could a Congressional Roadmap Turn Bright Ideas About Solar Power into a Reality?

GREEN IS GOOD
by Margaret Smith

For some people, solar power is a thing of the future. Using the sun as a renewable energy source to melt steel, heat water or even fuel cars, homes and businesses? Impossible, they say. Solar power is something you would see on a rerun of The Jetsons, not something that could be actually used for energy.

Others know what solar power is and have seen it in action, but just can't see how it could be successfully implemented today. Where would we find the space to put all those huge solar panels? Don't they cost a lot of money? How would you maintain them to ensure optimum performance? And what happens when the sun goes down?

Rep. Gabrielle Gifford (D-AZ), however, doesn't see things that way. Living in one of the sunniest states in America and married to Captain Mark Kelly, a Navy pilot and NASA astronaut, she's learned to have a brighter outlook on solar energy.

Representing Arizona's Eighth Congressional District, for the past two and a half years Gifford has been the person to go to on the Hill if you want to do anything about solar power. A native of Tucson, Gifford has been advocating the use of solar power for the 10 years she's served as a public official. She's solidified this reputation in Congress by serving on the House Committee on Science and Technology, where she is also chair of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee.

Her campaign for solar energy reached new heights more than a week ago when she introduced The Solar Technology Roadmap Act of 2009 in the House. The bill attempts to focus the future of the national solar agenda, authorizing $2.25 billion for solar research over the next five years and creating an 11-member Solar Roadmap Committee that would set the path for solar technology research.

"The Solar Technology Roadmap would help guide the solar industry and research community in their efforts to advance emerging solar technologies quickly and effectively," Gifford said. "It would also help the federal government to allocate research and development funds wisely."

Under her bill, the roadmap would specifically identify research and development that needs to occur to improve the use of solar technologies, decrease costs of solar power, reduce water use and lessen any harsh environmental impact. This would all be subject to revision every three years to keep the ideas current.

For many environmental activists, using solar power is appealing for a number of reasons. Using energy from the sun is a completely free and inexhaustible fuel source and, most importantly, it doesn't create any excess waste or pollution that is harmful to the environment in the process. Gifford says the idea hasn't made any progress in Washington, however, because solar power is still seen as a niche technology that couldn't be used for serious energy, a view that she says is mistaken.

"Most of my colleagues haven't spent as much time as I have keeping up with this industry," Giffords said at the Solar Economics Forum earlier this month. "They are not aware of the amazing strides solar technology has made in recent years. As a result, their view of solar power and its potential is several years behind the curve."

Some businesses, however, haven't missed the boat. Due to "a combination of government subsidies and a flood of cheaper solar panels on the market", some businesses have been able to cheaply fuel their buildings by using solar energy. And other companies have also started offering alternatives to huge solar panel installations in the form of shingles, tiles and other building materials that can be easily used on small buildings and homes. These are all signs that solar power technology could be used on a small-scale and is hopefully here to stay.

The Solar Technology Roadmap Act of 2009 was referred to the House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Energy and Environment on September 20, where it's still awaiting action.

"The fact is, solar is popular," Giffords also said at the Solar Economics Forum. "But people need to know that solar is also practical, that it can meet multiple needs of individuals and society at a reasonable cost."

GREEN IS GOOD

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