First, we can't run this country (or much of anything) off of sunbeams.
There are 745 watts/sq meter of solar energy that falls on the earth's
surface. At noon. At the equator. With no clouds. The only way to
increase
that number is to move the orbit of the earth closer to the sun.

Solar heating makes sense in some areas, but mostly where there is plenty of
sun and little need for heat. Seems to me, water power from both rivers
and oceans would make sense as well as windmills. It will take more
research to be more practical, but there is an unlimited supply of ocean
waves.