Political implications of solar energy

Current Trends & Application Assignment 3 Name Course Instructor Date Political implications of solar energy Views on adoption of solar energy tend to focus on the need to minimize effects of climate change and the departure from over reliance on fossil fuels. Climate change is a contentious issue among supporters and opponents of solar energy (Monbiot, 2013). Nonetheless, reducing the dependence on fossil fuels requires concerted efforts to find alternate sources of energy where solar energy plays a major role. However, fossil fuels are the cheapest source of energy available right now. In any case, fossil fuels are also accessible more than ever before the case in point being use of fracking. At the same time, discovery of previously inaccessible methane has opened opportunities on the possibility of extraction of the gas, and this calls into question the viability of solar energy in the long run. Ultimately, the political structure has to weight the cost and benefits in economic and environmental terms (Pentland, 2012). There are two opposing camps on the use of CdTe thin film solar technology and solar energy in general. Those who support this technology favor use of other green technology sources and since green technology has less pollution than fossil fuels then it should be adopted. Politicians supporting this view tend to be in the fore front embracing renewable energy including solar energy. Improved efficiency among CdTe solar cells has led to more calls for embrace in this technology as it would save energy costs and reduce the level of pollution. The Kyoto protocol and other agremments on the need to reduce pollution have also necessitated the need to adopt solar energy. Nonetheless, the question on how to store hazardous materials among solar panel manufactures still remains a problem (Dearen, 2013). As the population increases and countries become industrialized there is need for more energy sources and solar energy has necessitated the political debate on its effectiveness. This comes from the fact that if people are able to generate power then they can feed the energy into the electric grid, and reduce their energy bills by claiming credit in future. When the weather is cloudy or rainy people can still rely on the conventional sources of energy. Thus, politicians in support of solar energy surmise that this energy compliments and fills the shortfall that comes about because of increased energy demand. Green politicians call for the adoption of solar energy to reduce pollution and effects of climate change. Nonetheless, this has influenced politics as the production of solar panels goes through vigorous testing to avoid environmental pollution during the lifecycle of solar panels. On the other hand, politicians against use of CdTe solar panels and solar energy state that green politics veers too much into private life. This school of thought surmises that in the market it is the forces of demand and supply that should dictate the price and affordability of energy sources. In the U.S. clean energy carries a negative message even among senior politicians as seen in the 2012 presidential debate. Thus, it is the political structure that at times inhibits the success in adoption of solar energy (Wells, 2012). Politicians further state that the available sources of energy are cheap and hence cost effective for businesses and this improves the economy. To back their claim opponents of solar energy highlight the fact that there has been no substantial fall in the cost of electricity despite years of research on solar energy. To supporters of this view, climate change takes a secondary role to the economy and unemployment levels of a country. The political debate on suitability of CdTe solar technology has taken a new twist with many governments keen to reduce reliance on fossil fuels an...