Is Rooftop Solar the Solution to our Energy Crisis? Rooftop electric can replace gasoline in cars

[Note, there have been many changes in the world since this video was created, I leave it here for posterity. What are your thoughts about the state of the world now, compared to then?]

Is Rooftop Solar the Solution to our Energy Crisis?

Opinion by @liveoilfree in YouTube.

As former Vice President Dick Cheney famously declared, we find ourselves entrenched in an energy crisis, a dilemma that demands urgent action. However, amidst this urgency, one question remains glaringly unanswered: Why aren’t we leveraging solar power to its full potential?

Cheney’s proposal to build a power plant a week for 20 years seems daunting, yet if we scrutinize the situation, we discover a paradoxical truth. The scarcity of electricity primarily occurs during daytime peaks, particularly in summer, while the remainder of the time sees an excess of unused electricity. This surplus leads to the wasteful practice of warming start conditions, an expensive and inefficient process.

Enter solar power—the untapped solution to our energy woes. A solar system, seamlessly integrated into rooftops, could automatically generate power during the day and curtail production at night when demand diminishes. Yet, despite the evident advantages, the market penetration of solar power remains virtually nonexistent, a baffling oversight given the abundance of unused roofs ripe for solar panels.

But why the hesitation? Why do we persist in building more idle power plants when solar systems could provide a sustainable alternative? The answer lies in the inertia of the status quo, coupled with a lack of foresight regarding the potential of solar energy.

Furthermore, the discussion extends beyond mere electricity generation. While power plants may not produce gasoline, electric cars represent a viable transportation solution powered by electricity. Surprisingly, out of the 16 million cars manufactured annually in the United States, not a single one is a plug-in electric vehicle—a missed opportunity in an era clamoring for sustainable mobility solutions.

Consider the case of a neighbor who, recognizing the potential of solar energy, installed a solar system to power an electric car. While the car eventually departed for foreign shores, the solar system remains, now generating surplus electricity with no vehicle to utilize it.

This anecdote underscores a fundamental truth: the absence of solar systems on our roofs and electric cars in our garages is not due to a lack of technological feasibility but rather a failure of vision and initiative.

In conclusion, the solution to our energy crisis lies above our heads, soaking in the sun’s rays, waiting to be harnessed. It’s time to embrace solar power, to transform our rooftops into generators of clean, renewable energy and our garages into hubs of sustainable transportation. The time for action is now—let’s power our future with the brilliance of the sun.