The Sun’s Energy’ 
By FARRINGTON DANIELS 
Department of Chemistry 
University of Wisconsin 
LIFE WITHOUT THE SUN is unthinkable. Modern civilization with 
its ever-increasing demands for energy is completely dependent on 
the solar energy of the past, in the form of fossil fuels, as well as on 
the solar energy of the present. Many ancient peoples worshiped 
the sun. Why have we gathered together here this week from the 
four corners of the earth in the name of the sun? Not to worship the 
sun, but to try, through science and technology, to obtain still more 
useful energy from it. We rebel against the old adage that “there is 
nothing new under the stun.” 
AWAKENED INTEREST IN SOLAR ENERGY 
But why this new and almost explosive interest in utilizing solar 
energy? The sun has always been with us. I am delighted to see 
this new appreciation of solar energy—but I am worried, also. For 7 
years I have been actively urging scientists and engineers throughout 
the world to turn more of their research activities toward greater, 
direct utilization of this enormous, neglected source of energy—and 
now the idea has caught on like a delayed-action fuse. Too many 
people are beginning to expect too much too soon. There is no sudden 
era of solar prosperity just around the corner. There is much to be 
done yet by scientists, inventors and engineers, and philanthropists, 
before it is time for investors to become excited. The producers of 
conventional power through coal, petroleum, water power, and elec- 
tricity have nothing to worry about. None of our present engines 
and generators will be rendered obsolete by solar energy. Atomic 
energy and solar energy, each in its own way, will merely supplement 
the new additions to our power-producing machinery. Atomic energy 
will come in large, multimillion-dollar central power stations near 
1Published by permission of the Stanford Research Institute from Proceedings of the 
World Symposium on Applied Solar Energy, 1955. 
237 
