By Ucilia Wang | The Wall Street Journal
Solar power has been on a roll in recent years, as plummeting prices for solar panels and generous government incentives have helped to make it much more affordable.
Advocates are convinced the boom times have only just begun. They predict solar power will become even more attractive to consumers over the next two decades as prices decline further and new technologies lead to expanded uses.
“People won’t think solar is novel 20 years from now,” said Minh Le, director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative, which funds solar technology research and development. “It will be so cheap that it will be on your house, your car, the back of your iPhone.”
Perhaps, but we aren’t there yet, and plenty of skeptics would argue otherwise. Solar power isn’t economically competitive without government incentives, they say, and the variable nature of sunshine is a problem.
Related: Solar begins to shine abroad as environmental benefits pay off
Also: What’s Holding Back Nuclear Energy
The Energy World, Then and Now
If you’d like to discuss energy issues, contact Court Rich, director of Rose Law Group’s Renewable Energy Department at crich@roselawgroup.com
