U.S. energy policy is a matter of ongoing concern. Our society makes use of massive amounts of energy of various types, and the need for energy is growing. Energy policy is tied to a number of other policies, from the economic to foreign affairs. The costs of energy have an impact on every aspect of society, and energy policy relates to foreign affairs in that the dependence of America on foreign energy sources creates a situation whereby the nation can be held hostage to the whims of external powers. In such an atmosphere, more and more concern has been raised that the United States discover a source of renewable energy, something that will not be depleted as will fossil fuels, something that is cleaner and safer for the environment than are fossil fuels, and something that is still economically viable, producing sufficient energy at a cost comparable to the present energy-economic structure. Solar energy has been suggested as such a source because the energy of the sun is, if not infinite, at least consistent, ubiquitous, and infinite in human terms. Solar energy is not yet economically viable for large-scale use, though it does have certain specific energy-efficient uses to which it has been put in hearing homes or powering small engines. Proponents claim that solar energy could be made more powerful and more economically viable with research and development, and they call on the U.S. government to subsidize such research for the long-term benefit of all. What would happen if the U.S. did subsidize solar energy, and how good would be the return on such an investment?
One of the great unknowns in American energy policy remains the extent to which solar energy in its various forms will contribute to the nation's energy supply in the future. Proponents of solar energy claim that solar energy could supply 40 percent of the nation's energy needs by the year 2000, but others see solar energy as an impractical solution to Ameri...