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The results are now in, and there appears to be a major breakthrough in solar energy. Up until now I, and many other people, have been skeptical about so-called alternative energy. Many of these alternative energy sources just don't work and aren't likely to ever work on a large scale.

My biggest complaint is that alternative energy is almost always prohibitively expensive. Many alternative energy sources are not cost effective and, if put into operation, would hurt the poorest in our society. Government would wind up subsidizing electric bills on a massive scale. What good are strong environmental regulations to protect the environment for people that can't pay the bills? The government can't continue to subsidize projects that will eventually bankrupt our economy. We are already too close to financial ruin to continue down that road for decades into the future. Until there is a safe, clean energy source that the United States can control internally, we are at risk.

America and the rest of the world need solutions now, not 20 years from now. For the past few months there have been "stories" floating about on the Internet and one story in particular in the Christian Science Monitor of a quantum leap in solar energy development. Until now, solar energy panels converted a maximum of 20 percent of captured solar energy. The new process can harness up to 75 percent of the sunlight energy. It also appears to be a simpler process. The results are roughly five times the effectiveness of today's solar energy panels. This development comes from Israel, a nation that has about 330 days a year of sunlight. In Israel, nearly 1 million households have solar panels on their roof to heat water. The one point the Israeli product developers made clear was that this process only works in areas that have substantial sunlight.

This is not a pie-in-the-sky idea anymore. It apparently works and it can make a major impact in many nations around the globe. The best part is that it appears cost efficient and according to Israeli experts will eventually make electricity very inexpensive. This new solar power system will not need subsidies, as almost all alternative energy sources now need. This technology is coming soon to America and it promises to make an impact. The first company with this new technology is Brightsource, a California-based company with a major research facility in Israel. Other companies are likely to follow suite over the next few years.

For America, there is a serious challenge we face and one we can't afford to lose. We need ideas converted to reality now. We also have to get serious about our future. We are poisoning our future and ourselves with ignorance from our political leaders and lobby groups. Our politicians mislead us and try to sell us a worthless bill of goods. Bio-fuels sound great, but corn ethanol isn't a solution; yet our politicians won't change the disastrous laws they've written. That's not to say that other bio-fuels won't work, but they must be better, cleaner, and more cost efficient than what we already have. In many cases, they are not.

We can't let the politics of ignorance and greed control our future. Year after year, we pay fortunes for and continue to subsidize worthless programs. There is no end in sight. Many people, including myself, feel that government is often the reason problems aren't solved.

If America's future lies in the hands of its politicians we are in trouble. If our government wants to invest in our future, it must do so without the stench of politics. American universities and businesses are already spending tens of billions, if not hundreds of billions, annually on research. There are numerous venture capital groups pouring billions into ideas for a better future.

If Uncle Sam believes "science" has the answers for today's serious questions, then offer rewards for those willing to invest in the research and development of tomorrow's products. The best way the government can help us is to step aside so that those with the ability cure the problems without interference.

Obviously, the solutions to our energy needs will not be limited to one or two products or programs. Closing our eyes because we don't like coal or oil would be extremely foolish at this point. Coal power can become cleaner, but coal will never be as clean as other energy sources. In part got to the present situation in the first place by foolishly believing we can generate massive amounts of solar energy in states like North Dakota or Maine. Some programs can't work in certain areas and we should not subsidize them at all!

For researchers in Israel, this new phase of solar energy development will help change the face of the planet without harming it. The potential is enormous, and so are the rewards. In parts of the planet electricity will become available for the first time, and this can now be done without damaging the environment. This development can be done without bankrupting nations. The real problem may well be what do we do with all the old solar equipment. In many ways, this is reminiscent of what was happening as quantum leaps in technology brought us the computers we use today.

It should also be clear that in Israel much of this research and development is being done without government help. American venture capital is swarming Israel looking for the next major development. Ours may be a planet of limited resources, but its people offer unlimited potential.

Carl Resnick is a resident of Raritan and a local businessman.