TECH ARTICLE
Power akthroughs Exponential Energy oncerns A
mong the more important contributions that electrical engineers can make to society is the pursuit of attaining global energy sustainability. Current projections estimate that, if we are not already at it, that peak oil production will come about within the next 50 years. That implies that we are producing the maximum amount of oil possibly extracted from the ground. Additionally, public concern over nuclear safety and proliferation have hindered efforts to develop and install safe, modern nuclear plants. With annual global energy consumption now over 15 TW, solar power is becoming an ever more economical option for providing the electrical energy demanded world over. As an energy source, solar is democratic, plentiful, clean, and fully renewable; the only issue is that the technology for effectively capturing light and storing electrical energy is not yet entirely there. However, recent technological innovations have made more progress toward that goal.
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