India becoming big player on global solar energy map

India is rapidly becoming force to reckon with in global solar energy development. The government has already laid out a rather ambitious plan for solar energy development with a target of 100 GW of installed solar power capacity by 2022.

Optimism could soon turn to realism because India is taking big steps in that direction. It is expected that India will pass the 15 GW mark by the March 2017 while the current capacity is somewhere at 8-9 GW.

Not only that, India is expected to increase its module and cells manufacturing capacity to 10 and 2 GW respectively, in the next couple of years.

There are still some issues that need to be solved in order for solar to have clear path towards the bright future.  The most obvious issues include inadequate government funding and cheap imports (mostly from China).

Solar energy industry needs to be cost-competitive with other energy industries in order to thrive and become one of the most important industries in the country.

In this sense, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which is likely to be over 18% could significantly hinder further growth of solar energy development in India. There have been calls from developers to exempt solar from GST but whether solar will get this privilege still remains to be seen.

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Why is solar becoming mainstream energy source?

Solar energy industry is the fastest growing energy industry in the world and also the most popular renewable energy source in the world. In United States, for instance, solar power capacity grew from 1.2 gigawatts in 2008 to an estimated 21.3 GW by the end of the first quarter of 2015 (DOE data).

What has turned solar energy into a mainstream energy source? For starters, people are becoming more concerned about environment, especially in relation to climate change issue, and solar energy is seen by many people as the ideal energy source to replace fossil fuels and start green energy evolution that would halt worst possible climate change scenario and save humanity from major environmental disasters.

Second, solar energy can actually help you save money, especially on the long run. U.S. government offers great tax credit for new solar installations, worth up to a third of installation costs. And who with the right mind would resist the idea of going green and saving money in the process?

Not only that, the excess power generated from solar panels also earns you money as electric company will buy that excess power from the homeowner at competitive rates and at the end of each month.

Solar panels have also been upgraded from the aesthetic point of view as they are now far less noticeable than they were decade ago. Not only that, installing solar panels adds further value to your property.

The federal tax credit equal to 30 percent of the cost of the solar system's installation is available through December 2021 so there's plenty of time for other interested people to jump into the solar energy bandwagon.

Solar energy future has already started so make sure to be a part of it.

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Germany is global solar energy leader while U.S. still fails to deliver

Germany and plenty of sun, these two do not seem to go together hand in hand but when it comes to solar power production things change drastically. How drastically? Well, Germany is the current global solar energy leader in terms of installed solar power capacity with 38,250 megawatts (MW) according to the latest official data by International Eneregy Agency (IEA).

This is because Germany invests heavily in solar energy and other renewable energy sources. On the other hand, many people will find it surprising that United States is only 5th on the list with the capacity of 18,317 MW.

Despite the rapid development of solar power production in some states, most notably California, U.S. is still far off from being labeled as global solar energy leader.

Some may find it strange because U.S. has far greater territory than Germany, with many states having excellent solar insolation values, but in a country where fossil fuel lobbies still have plenty of power this shouldn't really come as that big of surprise.

The other countries, beside Germany, that are above United States in terms of solar power capacity are Italy with 18,622 MW, Japan 23,409 MW, and China with 28,330 MW.

 The total cumulative solar power capacity for the entire world was 177,000 MW at the end of 2014. A lot more is expected from solar energy sector in years to come.

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Solar power in Arkansas finally showing the signs of life

The state of Arkansas is far behind other states when it comes to U.S. solar energy leaders. Of course, California leads convincingly the rest of the pack with close to 40% of the distributed PV capacity but  Arkansas was until recently nowhere to be found.

Things are slowly changing, and in 2014 Arkansas announced two utility-scale solar projects though there is still no net power generation from small-scale residential installations.

Arkansas first commercial-sized solar energy facility came online in September, the $25 million, 12-megawatt solar energy facility at the Highland Industrial Park in East Camden.

Future solar energy projects in Arkansas include an 81-megawatt photovoltaic solar energy generating facility in Arkansas County that is expected to come online by mid-2019.

Arkansas doesn't have excellent solar insolation values like for instance California and Texas. Nonetheless, its southern location with approximately 5 hours of direct sunlight per square meter, make it a decent place for new solar installations.

The state doesn't yet have renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) meaning that its incentive programs for solar and other renewable energy sources are pale comparison when pitted against those of many other U.S. states with enacted RPS's.

But things are slowly changing, and hopefully Arkansas will play much bigger role on U.S. solar energy map in not that far future from now.

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Solar energy is good for both today and the future

Solar energy was for many years regarded as too expensive and too inefficient, an energy source that perhaps is expected to show some promise in years to come, but definitely not today. However, if we look at the current situation on global energy map we can see that solar energy is now good for both today and the future.

What has happened in the last decade or so for solar energy sector that is now rapidly growing and turning solar energy industry into one of the fastest growing industries in the world?

Solar energy has become cost-competitive with fossil fuels. OK, the fossil fuels still have the gap in prices but this gap is shrinking and solar is becoming more and more viable with each new year. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, solar energy generation today costs around 13 cents per kilowatt-hour, and the downward trend in prices is expected to further continue in years to come.

Solar panels are becoming cheaper and more efficient. The researchers from all around the world test new materials and new methods that would make solar panels even more commercially viable.

The fact that solar panels are now cheaper and more efficient is not the only factor contributing to huge sales of solar equipment worldwide. The other factor which has contributed to rapid decline in prices is increase in supply-mostly because of Chinese solar panel producers.

Many states and countries offer favorable tax incentives for new solar energy installations. There is also the feeling that installing solar panels means doing your share in global fight against climate change and pollution. Installing solar panels is now not only the tool to support green cause, it also gives you the chance for hefty profits, depending on the country you live in.

Global solar energy output is expected to grow by more than quarter in 2015. Solar is good today, in years to come it could become the best energy option of them all.

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U.S. solar industry rapidly growing in 2014

The U.S. solar industry is rapidly growing. According to the latest report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) United States added 1.133 MW of new solar power capacity in the second quarter of 2014.

The total solar power capacity currently installed in United States is said to be around 16 GW, which is enough to provide power for approximately 3.3 average U.S. homes.

U.S. solar energy industry is the fastest growing industry in the country with the major impact on nation's economy. It has been estimated that U.S. solar energy industry currently employs around 145,000 people, and is worth to U.S. economy $15 billion a year.

Solar power continues to be a No.1 source of new electricity generation in United States, in fact 53% of newly generated electricity came from solar power in the first half of 2014. The each of the last three quarters accounted for more than 1 GW of new installed solar power capacity.

At the end of the second quarter of this year more than half a million homeowners and commercial customers have installed solar photovoltaics (PV). The latest GTM research predicts that United States will reach 6,5 GW of new PV installations in 2014, which should represent a growth of nearly 36% as compared to 2013.

There are many factors behind this staggering growth of solar capacity in United States. The large credit goes to wise and effective policies (such as tax credits and renewable energy standards).

Solar will continue to grow even further, providing many new homes and business with power, in years to come. Solar power is clean source of energy that is not only becoming cheaper but also lot more reliable than before. With the little luck, and the further increase in efficiency solar could  become the most important energy source nationwide in not that distant future.

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Solar becoming increasingly popular among US homeowners

Solar energy sector is rapidly growing in United States. There are many homeowners across the United States who have chosen to install solar panels on their rooftops, not just to go green and help offset harmful greenhouse gas emissions but also to slash their electricity bills.

According to official data, in 2013 Americans installed 792 megawatts of residential solar systems, which is roughly enough to power the equivalent of more than 130,000 average homes.

In many cases, especially in US states with plenty of sunshine and  favorable incentives, installing solar panels on rooftops helps you save money on the long run, and often gives excellent return of money on investment.

Most solar panels have a lifespan of 20+ years, meaning that these systems are built to last over the longer period of time. The longevity is definitely one of the benefits when considering the installation of residential solar system.

The professional installation is extremely important because solar panels must be installed properly so they can receive the maximum amount of available sunlight. Each homeowner should also check available tax incentives, rebates and financing options because failure to do so could in the end cost you thousands of dollars.

Warranty is also very important. The renowned companies usually offer 25-to-30-year linear warranty and 10-year workmanship warranty which provides excellent consumer protection.

In any case make sure to do the math, solar energy is not only go green option, it can in many cases be also an economic option, and save you thousands on energy bills, on a long run.

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Solar energy option for Africa still work in progress

Africa's demand for power is rapidly growing and Black Continent is already looking at the possible energy solutions for years to come. Renewable energy sources seem like a logical solution and few seem to be better than solar energy because Africa gets plenty of sunshine throughout the entire year. Solar energy projects, however, do not come cheap, and Africa will need major investments from abroad in order to kickstart solar energy development.

One of the upcoming events, Africa Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, which will take place from 27 to 29th March, in Durban, South Africa, will also discuss the future of solar energy in Africa.

It is appropriate that this event will take place in South Africa, because this country should lead the way in continent's solar energy development. In fact, South Africa has already announced plan to construct 8.4 GW of photovoltaic (PV) capacity by the 2030. South Africa is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing  PV markets in the world, after successfully attracting foreign investors.

This South African example should show the path for many other African countries, and though solar energy still belongs to the more expensive energy sources, it is becoming more and more cost-competitive with other energy sources, especially the renewable ones.

The installation of new solar energy projects in Africa is taking place in many African countries, though this is yet to reach the levels of those in South Africa. To some of these countries new solar energy projects might become economic boost that will open many new jobs.

The future of solar energy in Africa is still open for debate, the potential is certainly there but a lot of it also depends on investments and political will. Things are currently developing slowly but are at least going in the right direction.

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Solar still the main thing in California

California continues its rapid solar energy development. The state's solar power production continues to grow and in the December, 2013 California's solar power capacity reached the peak of 2,806 megawatts, which represents a staggering increase of more than 100% as compared to six months ago, when the installed solar power capacity was 1,235 MW.

The reason for this rapid growth in solar power capacity is new construction, and by this I mean several large solar energy projects such as 250-megawatt California Valley Solar Ranch in San Luis Obispo County.

It has been estimated that the solar power now accounts for more than 3 percent of total electricity generated in California. And if trend, in terms of future solar energy development, maintain its current track we could be soon talking about the barrier of 10 percent electricity from solar energy being broken in the Golden State.

New gigantic solar energy projects will soon be harnessing Sun's energy and producing more clean electricity. These include the 550-megawatt Topaz project and the 579-megawatt Antelope Valley Solar Projects, which are already under construction, in an area north of Los Angeles.

Solar is still the main thing in California and California's big solar story looks set to continue. The state will likely remain one of the nation's clean energy leaders in foreseeable future, though this isn't only because of solar energy but because of other renewable energy sources too.

California is also developing other renewable energy sectors; it is the largest geothermal power producer in the country, and also one of the fastest growing wind energy markets. The tons of new clean energy installations are coming online, of course with the emphasis on solar energy. Long may it continue.

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Does solar have a bright future in UK?

UK isn't exactly California or Spain when it comes to number of sunny days within the year. Yet the solar energy industry is the fastest growing industry in the world and UK wants to be an important part of global solar energy market.

The recent statement by UK's Energy Minister Greg Barker where he stated that UK wants to eight-fold multiply its solar power capacity, up to 10 GW by 2020, clearly demonstrates that UK wants solar energy to play important role in country's clean energy mix.

Barker remains optimistic about UK solar development further stating that 20 gigawatts of installed solar capacity is not only desirable but also potentially achievable within a decade.

The problem, not only with solar energy, but the rest of the renewable energy pack, is that the wide spread of renewable energy technologies has caused higher energy bills because these technologies are yet to achieve cost-competitiveness with traditional fuels.

What this means is that solar power is still unable to compete with fossil fuels without relying on subsidies and Barker hopes that this situation will soon change giving new solar installations grid parity with fossil fuels.

Only cost-competitive solar power can have a bright future in UK because people do not want to pay higher energy bills, even despite the fact that solar energy use reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming and climate change.

Britain needs to achieve EU goal of 15% of power from renewable energy sources by 2020, and solar power can become integral part in achieving this goal. Balancing the power grid and creating cost-effective solar power should become the first steps towards large growth of solar power in United Kingdom.

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Free solar generated electricity in Peru

Many energy experts are convinced that solar energy can provide stable and cost-competitive source of clean electricity in many isolated and rural areas. Installing solar panels in these areas is often connected with lower costs than connecting this area with already existing power network.

The positive example on this matter comes from the Peru, South America. Peru has initiated a program that once done should provide more than 2 million of its poorest residents with solar generated electricity -for free.

'The National Photovoltaic Household Electrification Program' began on July 8, with the installation of 1,601 solar panels in the Contumaza province of the country. These panels represent the first phase of the program and should be enough to power 126 impoverished communities.

Jorge Merino, Peru's Energy and Mining Minister, announced that „the entire program will allow 95 percent of Peru to have access to electricity by the end of 2016.“ The program will be fulfilled with the installation of 12,500 solar systems, enough to power around 500,000 households in Peru. The entire program is expected to cost about $200 million.

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Saudi Arabia must turn to solar to save its oil

Saudi Arabia must start to plan the life after the oil because country's oil reserves won't last for eternity. Saudi Arabia is still the world's largest oil exporting country and oil still plays the most important economic role in the country. But for how long?

In this sense, it is no surprise that Saudi Arabia is already looking at other alternatives to oil. And the choice of going full speed ahead with solar energy development is really a logical one because Saudi Arabia has plenty of sunshine throughout the entire year. 

In 2011 Saudi Arabia announced plans to invest more than $100 billion into clean energy technologies within the next ten years with the lion share of this investment going to solar energy sector as Saudis plan to install 5 gigawatts of solar power capacity by 2020.

The country does not plan this huge solar power expansion because Saudis have suddenly become extremely concerned about the environmental damage done by oil but mostly because they fear that they might lose out their top position in exporting oil if they fail to develop strong solar energy sector.

Saudi Arabia belongs to the countries with the fastest growing energy consumption rates in the world and Saudi Arabian demand for electricity is growing at a rapid rate of 5 % per year. What this means is that Saudi Arabia needs more than 20% of its total oil production just to satisfy its current energy demand, and if domestic oil consumption continues to grow at such high rate Saudi Arabia could soon run out of oil, even by the year 2030 as Abdul Salam Al Yamani, head of the Saudi Electricity Company, recently pointed out.

The rapid solar energy development is therefore mainly done to prolong Saudi Arabia's dominant position on global oil market, maintaining is major source of wealth, for as long as possible. On the long term basis Saudi Arabia hopes to export solar generated electricity to neighboring countries as a new source of income, once current levels of oil production start to significantly decline.

So the money from the oil production will be used to develop strong solar market, which will then help prolong oil production for as many years as possible. Turning to solar really looks like the only logical option for Saudis to save their position as the world’s largest oil exporter.

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Can Australia become one of global solar energy leaders?

At the end of 2011 Australia had close to 1050 MW of totally installed photovoltaic capacity, enough to satisfy 2.3% of country's total electricity demand.  In the last three years solar power capacity increased 10 fold, primarily due to favorable feed-in-tariffs and mandatory renewable energy targets. However, there is still plenty of room for further improvement.

A 2001 federal study showed that Australia had the highest average solar radiation of any continent. Australia's insolation heavily exceeds the average values in Europe, Russia, and most of North America meaning that solar energy is certainly the best renewable energy option for the country.

Harnessing more solar energy could significantly reduce Australia's heavy dependence on coal. However, in order for solar energy to compete with coal solar power technologies will have to continue to decrease in prices, especially since coal is still the cheapest available energy option. Australia has plenty of cheap coal and powerful coal lobbies, and this will not make things easy for domestic solar energy industry.

The government has finally started making steps in the right direction, mostly in form of favorable feed-in-tariffs that were introduced in much of the Australia.  Australian renewable energy standard is mandatory and under it renewable energy should account for 20% share of electricity generation in Australia by 2020. It is expected that solar power will play huge role in achieving this goal.

Australia - Dry climate with plenty of sunshine throughout the year

When talking about solar energy projects in Australia then the special mention goes to proposed 154 MW solar power station in Victoria that once constructed is expected to be one of the biggest and most efficient solar photovoltaic power station in the world. Full commissioning is expected in 2013.

There is also very strong public support for renewable energy projects that could in combination with consistent national energy policy lead to rapid growth of Australian solar power industry. 

Solar energy is Australia's best ticket to enter clean energy race. The rapid progress of Australian solar energy industry in the last three years is clear indicator that solar could be the energy source that will lead Australia to clean energy future. 

The combination of mandatory renewable energy standard and favorable feed-in-tariffs has attracted investments and this is the reason why solar energy industry is now the fastest growing industry in the country.

The foundation has been laid now it's up to government to continue good work in order to confirm Australia as one of the global solar energy leaders.

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Solar energy is free but solar panels are not

Solar energy is there, free for use, to anyone, because nobody owns the sun. While solar energy is free, solar panels are not, in fact they are still very expensive, and this is the reason why fossil fuels still very much dominate global energy market.

The global popularity of solar energy continues to grow but even among the proponents of solar energy there aren't that many of those who are ready to pay significantly higher energy bills for more solar energy instead of fossil fuels. We all know that our reliance on fossil fuels creates massive environmental damage, mostly in form of climate change and pollution, and yet when it comes to paying extra for more clean energy we seem to forget all about our planet's environmental condition.

The environmental conscience is still not planted throughout our society which means that science and technology is our only hope for solar energy to replace fossil fuels.

The holy grail of solar energy industry is to develop not only cheap but also highly efficient solar panels because standard solar panels convert only up to 18% of the sun's rays while the rest of available sunlight gets wasted in form of heat. Even the most efficient solar panels available on the market today have an efficiency of just 22%.

Solar energy industry needs further research to find its holy grail

There are countless ongoing studies that seek for this holy grail, and there has been plenty proposals, none of which has managed to find the solution that would be commercially viable, in terms of achieving the cost parity with fossil fuels.

The researchers use different approaches in their research of efficient and cheap solar panels. Some believe that the key may lie in complex nanomaterials and semiconductors, while others tend to focus more on the process itself instead of just focusing on materials used in process.

How difficult it is to improve efficiency of solar panels with currently available technologies? Many researchers say that improving efficiency of „standard“ solar panels by only 5% would be a massive achievement because photovoltaics are very complicated technology, and in many cases when scientists try to improve efficiency of solar cells they end up getting even worse results than they were in the beginning of the experiment.

The discovery of cheap and efficient solar panels therefore remains one of the greatest scientific and technological challenges of our time, something that could well decide what our energy future will look like.

Fossil fuels still have clear edge in terms of costs and efficiency compared to solar power technologies, but fossil fuel industry still wakes up each day in fear thinking "what if today is the day when solar industry will find its holy grail?"  And what hurts them the most is that they know that this day will eventually come.

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The origin, potential and importance of solar energy

Solar energy is the result of Sun's radiation, a radiant energy in form of heat and light emitted by the Sun. Solar energy is extremely important for all life on this planet because without it our planet wouldn't be able to support life. Solar energy isn't the same term as solar power, these two terms are in fact different because term solar power refers to conversion of sunlight into electricity.

The potential of solar energy is almost limitless. The International Energy Agency announced in 2011 that solar energy technologies have the potential to provide a third of the world’s energy by 2060, given that the world leaders commit to limiting climate change. Of course, the total solar energy potential is much bigger and only a small fraction of totally available solar energy would be enough to satisfy global energy demand.

The main reason why solar energy still hasn't become the most important energy source on our planet is because solar power technologies still lack cost-parity with fossil fuels. The good news is that solar energy industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. However, even despite this rapid growth, solar energy industry will still require time to achieve technological maturity meaning that fossil fuels will likely remain top energy sources for foreseeable future.

Solar energy is the most abundant form of renewable energy available on our planet. Wind energy is also a form of solar energy, and only geothermal and tidal are renewable energy sources that do not derive their energy from the Sun. This means that harnessing solar energy has enormous future potential, not only in electricity generation and heating but also for many other industrial processes as well as for the development of solar powered vehicles.

Solar energy is almost limitless source of energy but this doesn't make it a perfect source of energy. This isn't only because solar sector still lacks cost parity with fossil fuels but also because of intermittency issue. The intermittency of solar energy means that solar energy isn't available all the time (at night) and requires efficient energy storage solution to ensure continuous reliability of delivery.

Using more solar energy instead of staying with fossil fuels would do wonders for our environment, it would slow the impact of climate change, reduce air pollution, and give many animals and plants species enough time to adapt to changes in climate, thus preventing future biodiversity loss.

Solar energy also has the ability to improve our future energy security by reducing the need for expensive foreign fuel import. It can also provide new jobs and offer interesting career options for many young people.

Solar energy is there, free to use, as nobody owns the sun. Improving economics of solar power technologies is the only thing that stands between us and clean energy future.

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Sun vs. fossil fuels – and the winner is?

Our Sun is by far the most abundant source of energy available on our planet but regardless of this well known fact, fossil fuels still rule the global energy market as our society is still heavily dependent on oil, coal, and natural gas.

This means that at the moment fossil fuels are winning the battle against the Sun. But in the future, there should be only one winner – and that is solar energy.

This not just because of its incredible abundance and the fact that fossil fuels will eventually become exhausted but also because of major environmental benefits connected with using solar energy (no greenhouse gas emissions, no air pollution issue).

Sun will continue to shine for at lest next 5 billion years if current scientific reports are correct, while the world could run out of oil within the next 100 years. This means that solar energy can provide future energy security, and fossil fuels can't, and even the almighty fossil fuel lobbies can't change this fact.

More domestic solar energy means reduced dependence on foreign oil import which means that our money stays within our own borders and is used to develop our own domestic energy industry. The development of solar energy industry creates many new jobs and helps spur future economic development. Solar energy industry is already one of the fastest growing industries worldwide.

Solar energy can also provide excellent energy alternative for rural areas that have no access to power because connecting these areas to fossil fuel fired power plants requires expensive infrastructure, making solar energy one of the most cost-effective energy solutions for the electrification of these areas.

Of course, solar energy is still far from being the perfect energy source. Solar power technologies not only need to lower their costs but they also have to significantly improve their efficiency. What this means is that solar energy sector needs science to solve these two major issues.

How quickly will science be able to solve these issues? Difficult to tell, though there have been some promising researches that will hopefully lead to quicker commercialization of new solar power technologies.

The science will be the one determining the rate of transition from fossil fuels to solar and renewable energy in general. There's no question that solar energy will eventually rule the world. The only question is when?

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Why is solar energy bad energy source?

Solar energy certainly has more benefits than drawbacks but there are still some major issues that solar energy industry needs to improve:

Solar panels still cost lot of money, even despite the huge drop in costs. Solar energy is still significantly more expensive than traditional fossil fuels (Solar power still remains around three times more expensive than coal and natural gas.) The main reason why solar panels have high price tag is because their main ingredient is silicon, and silicon is very expensive material.

Solar energy needs backup energy solution in order to be considered as a reliable source of energy (Sun doesn’t shine during the night).

 Solar panels have relatively low efficiency of 15-18% which means that lot of available solar energy gets wasted in the process of transforming sunlight into the electricity.

Solar power plants have high upfront costs. They also require large areas to be built (it takes approximately one square kilometer for every 30-60 megawatts of generated solar energy.) Solar power plants also have large water requirements (for cooling purposes).

Solar energy research needs huge funds (scientific research aims to make solar panels cheaper and more efficient to become cost-competitive with traditional energy sources).

Solar energy industry needs incentives in order to achieve cost-parity with fossil fuels.

With current technologies solar energy is only effective in areas with plenty of sunshine throughout the entire year.

Even despite the abundant solar energy potential, solar power still accounts for just around 1 percent of the nation's energy supply.

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Why is solar energy good source of energy?

These days solar energy is the most popular energy source in the world. Here is the list featuring the most important factors that make solar energy a „good energy source“:

Solar energy is renewable energy source meaning it is being constantly replenished and cannot be depleted like this is the case with fossil fuels. As long as Sun keeps shining solar energy will be available to us.

Solar energy is clean and environmentally friendly source of energy that doesn't contribute to climate change.

Solar energy industry creates plenty new jobs that can give huge boost to our economy.

Solar energy is extremely abundant source of energy with almost unlimited potential.

Solar energy is free source of energy because nobody owns the Sun.

Solar energy can help improve our energy independence and energy security by reducing the need for expensive foreign fuel import.

Adding solar panels improves the value of your property.

Adding solar panels

Solar panels are very silent and do not create noise pollution like some wind turbines do.

Solar energy can help electrification of many rural areas, particularly in developing world.

Solar panels have very good lifespan of 20+ years.

Solar panel prices have been constantly dropping in the last five years.

Solar panels require very little maintenance.

Solar energy industry is the fastest growing industry in the nation giving plenty of business opportunities to young people.

Solar panels do not lose much efficiency over the years and can be recycled.

People employed within the solar energy industry have very good salaries. Solar power engineer, for instance, can earn close to $100,000 per year.

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Is solar energy perfect from environmental point of view?

Harnessing solar energy provides many environmental benefits, with the most important of them all being the fact that there are almost no carbon emissions involved (the only carbon emissions connected with solar energy are the ones that result from fossil fuels used for manufacture and transportation of parts needed for solar systems).

Harnessing solar energy does not pollute air, and since solar panels work extremely silently there is no noise pollution like this can be the case with harnessing wind energy in form of very large wind turbines where large blades can produce significant noise levels. Solar energy also doesn't contribute to climate change, acid rain, and doesn't leave behind toxic waste.

But solar energy is still not the perfect energy source from environmental point of view because such renewable energy source does not exist. On the other hand if we are to compare the environmental damage that fossil fuels do to the environmental damage that solar energy does then solar energy really looks like a perfect energy source from the environmental point of view.

Solar energy -Sunlight over water

In order to prove that even the solar energy isn't sheer perfection when it comes to environmental impact I will give you few negative sides of solar energy. As already mentioned earlier in the article solar energy needs fossil fuels for manufacture and transportation of parts, so we can say that indirectly solar energy does in fact produce some carbon emissions. Some could conclude from this that the more solar panels we produce there will be more emissions involved but this is not the right conclusion because we also have to include the fact that these solar panels once built replace the need for fossil fuels, so overall environmental effect in form of emissions turns out to be positive in the end.

In process of manufacturing photovoltaic panels there are some hazardous materials involved, for instance the cadmium, that is often used as a semiconductor to convert solar energy into electricity, is very toxic element that can even in the small amounts do significant damage to some ecosystems if not monitored and disposed properly. However, these hazardous materials are involved in almost any industry, and by properly monitoring them and ensuring maximum safety measures the potential environmental danger that these materials could produce can be kept at minimum level.

One thing that I should also mention here is that the large solar power plants require large amounts of land so if we were to massively build them this could significantly shrink the habitats of many plants and animals. The current solar technologies require approximately one square kilometer for every 30-60 megawatts of generated solar energy so really large solar energy projects require lot of available land. Also, solar power plants once built require lot of water for cooling purposes, so this could lead to water shortage problem in certain areas.

To conclude I will say that solar energy has largely positive environmental impact. Negative environmental effects are mostly indirectly connected to solar energy, but they are not as nearly as negative as this is the case with coal and other fossil fuels. Solar energy definitely belongs to the category of the cleanest energy sources available on our planet, and we should be really using solar energy on much larger scale than we use it today.

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Why is solar energy yet to fulfill its enormous potential?

 Solar energy has tremendous potential and only a small fraction of totally available energy coming from Sun would be more than enough to satisfy the entire world's energy demand.

Many energy experts agree that there is only a matter of time before solar energy becomes top energy source.However,  there is still one huge stumbling block that solar energy industry will have to overcome– high costs of photovoltaics. 

Photovoltaics are devices that convert sunlight into electricity. Not only will photovoltaics have to become cheaper but they'll also have to become lot more efficient because current average efficiency of 15-18 is far from being enough to challenge much bigger efficiency of fossil fuels.

The efficiency of photovoltaics is primarily limited by the amount of sunlight that is absorbed, and science is looking at different techniques to enhance absorption of these devices and ensure minimal energy losses.

The scientists also hope that future solar cells will utilize more of the available solar spectrum for power generation as another major step towards increased efficiency.

Together with reduced costs and improved efficiency of solar power technologies, solar energy industry still has one major task- to decrease the influence of fossil fuel lobbies.

Fossil fuel lobbies, most notably oil lobbies, are still extremely powerful, and they often use their enormous political influence to get major political decisions going their way.

Solar energy still isn’t a widespread energy source, and despite the fact that global solar energy capacity is constantly increasing it still counts for very little on global level, namely satisfying less than one percent of total worldwide electricity demand.

There is no doubt that solar energy still has many obstacles on the road to becoming dominant energy source. But given its almost unlimited energy potential it’s really only a matter of time before solar energy will rule the world.

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