Solar Now Produces a Better Energy Return on Investment Than Oil
The per-watt numbers may sound great, but these are still apples and oranges energy sources.  While there are some area where one can certainly replace the other (electrical grids etc) there are others (shipping) where the gap remains monumental.  In terms of energy density (35ish MJ&#x2F;L) and storage (a box) diesel fuels look to remain king for a while.<p>One downside of cheap solar might be a drop in crude prices, resulting in its more frivolous use.  I&#x27;d hate to see improvements in shipping meant to conserve fuel, and thereby lower carbon emissions, be set aside once fuel becomes cheap again.  We need to watch for this and, perhaps, get regs in place to ensure it is burnt as sparingly as possible.