The results of the fourth annual
international solar energy survey have been released just in time for the
summer solstice on June 20, the longest day of the year in the northern
hemisphere. This survey, conducted by Applied Materials, Inc. targeted
consumers in China, India, Japan, and the United States, four countries that
have promising outlooks for solar power growth, and was designed to measure
awareness and general understanding of solar energy.
While San Diego solar energy systems
and other high-tech home heating and cooling solar methods have been available
for years both here and around the world, this international survey revealed a
recent shift in how consumers view and approach solar energy. There is a new
optimism about the potential of solar power to help solve the world’s energy
crisis and alleviate the adverse effects of fossil fuels on the world's
climate.
On the other hand, the survey also showed
that many misconceptions about the current cost of solar energy technology
adoption still persist today even as efforts are made to better educate the
public. Approximately 35 percent of survey participants still believed that
solar power is currently more expensive than traditional energy sources.
In fact, solar energy is getting less
expensive by the day. According to Dr. Charlie Gay, president of Applied
Materials' Solar division, solar panels are now more affordable as a result of cost reductions in the supply chain. Additionally,
further advances in technology and innovation will only continue to moderate costs.
Approximately half of all survey respondents
(46%) recognized that solar market would create jobs. Of the four countries,
United States participants were the most optimistic with 58% sharing this
outlook.
Undoubtedly, solar energy is still a
largely untapped resource. Solar hot water in SanDiego, for example, are a cost-effective solution that eliminates
the need to waste fossil fuels on heating water. Continued focus on educating
consumers on the many benefits of solar energy will help accelerate the growth
of the solar market as we work towards alleviating our global energy crisis.
