Hi Jonathan,

Well really, we do, (or most of it, anyway). Fossil fuels are ancient deposits of sunlight. Wind, falling water, and lightning all come from the sun's energy. The more directly we use it though, the easier it is for us to provide our energy needs, and the more sustainable it is. When we use lots of high tech to use it, it costs more.

That is why it is much less expensive to heat water by putting a panel that has liquid in it in the sun than to convert it to electricity with photovoltaics and then heat it with an electric heater. The equipment is simpler and less costly to purchase, and it is a much more efficient process, (in that we lose less energy in the process).

You are on to a very powerful idea: If we want to set up an energy collection system for our needs that will work forever, (or until the sun stops shining anyway), we must use the sun as our source. It's the only incoming energy to this planet we have!

Keep shining, Jonathan,
Kelly