Some would suggest that with regard to the environment and our relationship with it, we live in the dark ages.  Perhaps there is a light on the horizon, and with help we may be able to use it as a guide to better stewardship.

The cost of electricity per kilowatt-hour, if generated by coal or oil is 3 to 5 cents per unit.  That is a very hard price to hit for solar power.  The cost per unit generated by natural gas however, is 10 to 30 cents.  Chuck Andraka, of Sandia National Laboratories, suggests that a cost of 6 cents per kilowatt-hour is attainable for the solar industry.  The horizon begins to brighten.

Along with organizations like Stirling Energy Systems, which currently has two projects in the works for California, Chuck Andraka and other engineers are working out the bugs.  One such bug is how to dump all this power onto the grid without stressing the system.  It's a little like trying to catch something heavy, it depends upon how quickly you need to react.  Other problems may be with respect to wildlife neighbors,  who might nest on or in the equipment.  Of course, there are the concerns about human neighbors. Fortunately, the best spots for these farms seem to be in desserts, a place where few humans currently live.

One thing in abundance in the dessert is sunshine.  With a little help from the solar industry the future may be our shining times.