Solar Energy and its Multiple Applications

Abstract

Solar energy is commercially exploited to provide benefits in the form of various products and capabilities applying a range of technologies. Electricity generation is achieved either directly from photovoltaic cells made of various materials or indirectly through the steam production from concentrating solar thermal systems. Whereas solar thermal power generation requires large scale plants, photovoltaic systems can be large or small in scale and building integrated, if required. Both types of generation can be standalone or connected to power grids. Solar energy is also extensively used for water and space heating, cooling and drying purposes. It can also be stored and/or transformed into a range of clean fuels and contributes energy to the manufacture of various energy-intensive products. The research into the artificial photosynthetic synthesis of biofuels although encouraging is, however, yet to be achieved commercially exploited on a large scale. Much scope remains for innovative technology breakthroughs to further improve the efficiency and uptake of all the solar energy technologies currently exploited or under investigation. Policy frameworks, renewable portfolio standards, feed-in tariffs and net-metering play an important and ongoing role in promoting the uptake of photovoltaics in particular.