The Reuters online newswire reported today, August 24, 2007 that it rains year round in Germany and in spite of the fact that clouds cover the skies for about two-thirds of all daylight hours, Germany; the country has managed to become the world's leading solar power generator.  In spite of the fact that millions of German citizens flee their damp, dark homeland for holidays in the Mediterranean sun, especially the relatively inexpensive Spain and Portugal, 55 percent of the world's photovoltaic (PV) solar power is generated on solar panels set up between the Baltic Sea and the Black Forest.

As of this time, only 3 percent of Germany's electricity comes from the sun and solar energy systems, but the German government wants to raise the share of renewable sources of free energy systems, like solar energy and solar power, to 27 percent of all energy by 2020 from its current 13 percent electrical generation from renewable energy sources.

Solar energy systems, solar panels and solar photovoltaic power is a thriving solar industry with booming exports that has created tens of thousands of jobs in recent years, posting growth rates that surpassed the optimistic forecasts made by the fathers of a pioneering 2000 renewable energy law and driving the cost of 99.99% silicon rock to better than $50.00 (US Dollars) per kilogram.