Solar power

This article is about the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity. For a broader range of human uses for sunlight, see Solar energy. For the unit of light from stars and galaxies, see Solar luminosity.
For other uses, see Solar Power.

Rooftop solar in Hong Kong
The first three concentrated solar power (CSP) units of Spain's Solnova Solar Power Station in the foreground, with the PS10 and PS20 solar power towers in the background

Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to convert light into an electric current.[2] Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and solar tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight to a hot spot, often to drive a steam turbine.

Photovoltaics (PV) were initially solely used as a source of electricity for small and medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by a single solar cell to remote homes powered by an off-grid rooftop PV system. Commercial concentrated solar power plants were first developed in the 1980s. Since then, as the cost of solar panels has fallen, grid-connected solar PV systems' capacity and production has doubled about every three years. Three-quarters of new generation capacity is solar,[3] with both millions of rooftop installations and gigawatt-scale photovoltaic power stations continuing to be built.

In 2023, solar power generated 5.5% (1,631 TWh) of global electricity and over 1% of primary energy, adding twice as much new electricity as coal.[4][5] Along with onshore wind power, utility-scale solar is the source with the cheapest levelised cost of electricity for new installations in most countries.[6][7] As of 2023, 33 countries generated more than a tenth of their electricity from solar, with China making up more than half of solar growth.[8] Almost half the solar power installed in 2022 was mounted on rooftops.[9]

Much more low-carbon power is needed for electrification and to limit climate change.[3] The International Energy Agency said in 2022 that more effort was needed for grid integration and the mitigation of policy, regulation and financing challenges.[10] Nevertheless solar may greatly cut the cost of energy.[5]

  1. ^ "Global Solar Atlas". globalsolaratlas.info. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Energy Sources: Solar". Department of Energy. Archived from the original on 14 April 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  3. ^ a b Gabbatiss, Josh (12 January 2024). "Analysis: World will add enough renewables in five years to power US and Canada". Carbon Brief. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Global Electricity Review 2024". Ember. 7 May 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Sun Machines". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  6. ^ "2023 Levelized Cost Of Energy+". Lazard. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Executive summary – Renewable Energy Market Update – Analysis". IEA. June 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Global Electricity Review 2024". Ember. 7 May 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  9. ^ Norman, Will (13 June 2023). "Through the roof: 49.5% of world's PV additions were rooftop in 2022 – SolarPower Europe". PV Tech. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Solar PV – Analysis". IEA. Retrieved 10 November 2022.