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To those of us born in the mid twentieth century, it still sounds like the far future, but in fact it’s not far off. It’s an important date. It’s the date on which the world’s energy production is likely to undergo its biggest change since the invention of fire. Despite the long-term savings which can be made by installing solar panels, investment in solar technologies is, in the short term, not nearly as economical as burning fossil fuels - at least not without taking into account the indirect cost of pollution. However solar trends indicate ever-increasing uptake which is reducing the real cost of solar energy by fifty percent every ten years. Meanwhile, as they become increasingly scarce and the subject of increasing international conflicts, the cost of fossil fuels is increasing by ninety percent over equivalent periods. 2017 is the point at which these trends will intersect. In 2017, it will be cheaper to use solar power than to burn oil or coal. How can we prepare for 2017? Just now, it may be cheaper to use fossil fuels, but we don’t want to be stuck with our old equipment when the balance shifts - we don’t want to be paying through the nose for expensive, old-fashioned fuel whilst we queue behind the millions of other people eager to get their hands on the latest solar technology. Judging by the latest solar trends, it would be wiser to buy now and get our homes ready so that we can support ourselves as the cost of traditional fuels goes through the roof. Roofs with solar panels on them will be all set, and, should the energy from the sun ever run out, we’ll have more to worry about than the money in our pockets anyway. An investment in solar panels is an investment in the long term future, in a resource we can all rely on - so get ready for that future now. | ||||
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