I love Asimov, though the passage makes me cringe. Asimov reinforces what most humans believe about solar energy. It may be infinite, but the energy is not dense. One square meter of earth being hit by direct sunlight generates about as much energy as a lit birthday candle. That sort of energy density just cannot be competitive in today's energy market, regardless of solar cell efficiency and cost.

The metaphor I have concocted to help people understand is to imagine a river that never stops flowing and is infinitely long. However, it only flows at a few gallons a second. Imagine trying to build a series of dams to get electricity from the river. Sounds inefficient, right? That is essentially what we are trying to do with solar energy.

Now before you crucify me, I know that this is an opinion. But it is an opinion based on an understanding of the laws of thermodynamics and sound economic theory. It's why this opinion is shared by William Banholzer, ex-CTO of DOW, and one of the more renowned chemical engineers in the West. The man has heard every alternative energy pitch under the sun. Before you trust anything someone tells you, close the energy balance. It's the easy way to weed out the snake oil salesman that populate alternative energy initiatives.