The sun’s rays are capable of supplying us with plentiful energy. We can collect those rays with specially designed buildings and make it into electricity and heat. Essentially, solar panels absorb the maximum amount of sunlight (usually the panels are south-facing and darker in color). On the industrial front, solar power plants can use the sun’s rays for various services. For example, the heat can be used to boil water, and that can drive steam turbines which create massive amounts of electricity. Solar energy is free, non-polluting, and inexhaustible. Governor Patrick increased Massachusetts’s goal for solar power installations to 250 MW by 2017

Solar voltaic cells convert direct solar radiation into electricity. This electricity can be directly fed into the grid as well. However, when the sun isn’t out, no electricity can be produced. Therefore, there does need to be a backup source in order to feed the grid when this method is unreliable. Voltaic systems are clean, but comparatively more expensive than other forms of alternate energy when connected to the power grid. Solar thermal systems take in solar radiation to heat air or water. Solar hot water collectors consist of a box topped with glass and a dark absorber beneath it to circulate water. Water is sent through the collector, warmed, and then put through to an insulated tank, which it can then be used to heat buildings, etc. Solar water heaters can offer a cheaper way to produce hot water.

Some solar energy drawbacks are that solar energy can’t work during nighttime without a a storage unit like a battery. Also weather disturbances like a cloudy day or storms can make solar energy unreliable. Solar technologies are quite expensive, and they need expansive land to properly collect the sun’s energy in order to provide adequate electricity and heat.

The individuals and businesses that utilize solar energy and other alternate energy sources sometimes receive subsidies for doing so. Installation of renewable energy resources come at a high cost, so both federal and state subsidies can help customers decided whether to invest in it. There are subsidies at the federal, state, and even local level. “The combination of federal tax incentives with state and local subsidies can cover as much as 50% of the cost of a renewable energy project”, says John Gimigliano, principal-in-charge of KPMG LLP’s energy sustainability tax practice in the U.S.

Production tax credit is available to customers who use wind, geothermal, and biomass energy. The credit is claimed over a 10 year period, and it references the number of kilowatt-hours of electricity used during each tax year. Credits for geothermal and biomass energy are expiring Dec. 31, 2013. Producers of solar power are offered Investment tax credit, which is a one year tax reduction, but it is capped at the amount of 30% of the cost of the installation fees.

http://www.mass.gov/eea/energy-utilities-clean-tech/renewable-energy/solar/

Home

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443659204577575203384685874.htmlhttp://www.solarenergy.com/

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/solar-power-profile/

http://www.sunlightelectric.com/subsidies.php