Solar’s Potential

Solar power is getting closer to becoming a competitor in the energy market. By 2015, the cost of solar will compare with fossil fuel energy sources such as coal and natural gas, according to a study released this week by the research firm Clean Edge Inc., which studies "clean technologies," and the nonprofit environmental group Co-op America.

We reported last week that solar energy is already almost twice as cost effective as nuclear power.

This week’s report, The Utility Solar Assessment Study, concludes that solar power has the potential to meet 10 percent of America’s energy needs by 2025.

Co-author of the study Ron Pernick says the utility companies have to lead the way in turning these solar goals into realities. "One of the big takeaways from this report is that, in many ways, the future of solar is in the hands of utilities," he said, according to the Phoenix Business Journal. "Reaching 10 percent of our electricity from solar sources by 2025 will require the active participation of utilities along with the support and participation of regulators and solar technology companies."