Description:
<jats:p>Energy for human needs is energy services, and energy services is two things: primary energy raw materials and conversion technologies for energy and matter. For solar energies operational primary energy raw materials are entirely lacking. What counts is only technologies for the linkwise
exergetically efficient and environmentally responsible energy conv'9rsion along the energy conversion chain in its full length: 'Technologies compete, not fuels!" This is the prevalent criterion in the Second Solar Civilization. These reflections look for energy technologies-at-change
typical for that civilization and dissimilarto those known and in operation in the fossil energyera. To give an indication, for the direct photo voltaic conversion of sOl'ar light into electricity the invention of the semiconductor was preconditionaJ. Or, for pollution-free total energy conversion
the fuel cell is imperative. Are there comparable potential breakthroughs in the pipeline in other areas such as solar chemistry, non-Carnotian electrochemical conversion, or exergy optimization of energy conversion in general? Examples will be given. Favoring or hindering conditions for the
development will be described, and lead-times will be outlined.</jats:p>