Solar Power

Solar energy - future energy summary: Solar energy was once thought to be impossible to use as a consumer's energy source, but it has steadily grown from its application and reasonable price point of view. Laboratories and government agencies are optimistic that solar energy will soon be economically viable in countries around the world. Passive solar heating and cooling, such as for home use, and the use of photovoltaic (solar cells) batteries for running "high energy" devices are currently out of reach for daily consumers.

Solar energy is the conversion of solar energy to electric energy, direct use of photovoltaic (PV), indirect use of centralized solar energy, or a combination. The centralized solar system uses a lens or mirror and a tracking system to focus a large area of ​​sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaic cells use a photovoltaic effect to convert light into electricity. Photovoltaic power was used only as a power source for small and medium-sized applications, from a calculator that originally operated with a single solar cell to a remote home that operates on an off-grid rooftop PV system. Commercial concentrating photovoltaic power plant was first developed in the 1980's. Ivanpah's 392 MW facility is the world's largest concentrating solar power plant in the Mojave Desert, California.

Solar power generation is expected to become the world's largest power supply source by 2050, solar power generation and concentrating solar power generation each account for 16% and 11% of world consumption. After one year of rapid growth, in 2016, 1.3% of the world's electricity was generated by solar energy. Commercial concentrating photovoltaic power plant was first developed in the 1980's. The 392 MW Ivana Solar Power Plant in the Mojave Desert in California is the world's largest photovoltaic power plant. Other large centralized solar power plants include Spain's 150 MW Solnova solar power plant and 100 MW Andasol solar power plant. The US 250 MW Agua Caliente Solar Project and India's 221 MW Chalanka Solar Park are the world's largest photovoltaic power plants.