Although the Sun is frequently labeled as an “alternative” energy source, it has in fact produced almost all of man's energy throughout history. The world's energy economy now runs primarily on fossil fuels, a form of “solar capital” saved over geological time scales. Because this capital is apparently rather modest in amount and is not being renewed by nature at a rate comparable to our demands, we may eventually exhaust it. We will therefore be forced to turn either to the use of larger non‐solar capital stocks such as primordial methane (if it exists), uranium‐238 and deuterium, or to the use of regular “solar income” derived from the Sun's daily radiation.
REFERENCES
1.
Efficient Use of Energy, APS Studies on the More Efficient Use of Energy, edited by K. W. Ford et al. (New York, A.I.P. 1975).
2.
In addition to the references given in Section 1 of the Principal Conclusions, see: (a) Regional Conceptual Design and Analysis Studies for Residential Photovoltaic Systems, Final Report, GE Space Division for Sandia Laboratories, DOE report ♯SAND78‐7039 (2 vols., 1979)
and (b) Application of Solar Technology to Today's Energy Needs, Office of Technology Assessment reports OTA‐E‐66 (vol. 1) and OTA‐E‐77 (1978).
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© 1979 American Institute of Physics.
1979
American Institute of Physics
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