Dawn of the Solar Age
Suddenly there is an explosion in solar research. It began five years ago and is accelerating fast. Huge mirrors are collecting the sun in Tokyo and Denver. Giant wind-mills are turning in Ohio. Engineers are already testing the tools astronauts will use in space when: they build a 50-square-mile satellite that will radiate solar power down to Earth. Most surprisingly, huge machines designed to sit in the tropical seas and extract power from the hot water are about to be built.
But can any of these techniques be ready for when oil becomes scarce in 15 or 20 years?
Editor SIMON CAMPBELL-JONES
Written and produced by EDWARD GLODWYN