Solar Energy

Today, a confluence of powerful influences is fundamentally changing the six trillion dollar global energy landscape: the surge in demand for energy—particularly from China and India—the alarming rise in fossil fuel costs, new technologies, government incentives, and the growing concern for the environment.

No energy sector is better positioned to take advantage of these changes than solar. It has unmatchable flexibility: it can bypass the entire energy infrastructure by going straight to the point-of-use on the roof-tops of end users; it does not need fuel; it is clean and silent; it requires little maintenance; and it creates no pollution. Solar is modular - a system can be any size. Because solar energy is available everywhere it does not need to be transported and is not subject to political control. This is why solar is the fastest growing energy technology in the world today, and why the World Bank predicts that it will soon become a multi-trillion dollar industry.

One third of the world’s population has essentially no access to power; another third has limited access; a fortunate third has full access, but is damaging our planet through much of its production. Solar Energy can fulfill the world’s energy needs without environmental side effects.

Types of Solar Energy

Solar energy uses the sun's radiation directly for heat, light, hot water, and electricity. Three of the most important types of solar energy are:

• Photovoltaic Systems: producing electricity directly from the sun’s light
• Solar Hot Water Systems: heating water directly from the sun's heat
• Concentrating Solar Thermal Systems: producing electricity, usually utility-scale, by using the sun to boil water and the resulting steam to drive a turbine