The photovoltaic technology for converting sunlight directly into electricity has been around for years - with the price per kilowatt getting lower and lower with each passing year.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology has been used to generate electricity in space program applications for several decades and in commercial applications over the last 30 years.

Since 1985, the market for solar PV, as defined by worldwide shipments of PV systems, has grown at a compound annual growth rate of over 20%, according to Strategies Unlimited.

SolarBuzz reports that the global solar PV market, as defined by solar PV system installations, had an estimated $6.5 billion in revenue in 2004 and is expected to grow to $18.5 billion by 2010.

Worldwide installations of solar power systems are expected to grow at an annual rate of 23% - from 927 megawatts in 2004 to 3.2 gigawatts by 2010 - led by on-grid shipments.

By then, demand for clean energy will outstrip supply by at least 37% unless there's a boom in new alternative energy projects, according to a recent report from the National Renewal Energy Lab.

Finding what's fueling the surge is a cinch: crude oil above $80 a barrel, making the Goldman Sachs projections of $105 a barrel look more realistic all the time. Gasoline prices are sky-high, averaging $2.81 a gallon nationwide, causing serious monetary and budget issues for millions of Americans. And our fossil fuel supply is dwindling every day.

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