Solar energy is a general term for the electro-magnetic radiation emitted by the sun. We can capture and convert solar radiation into useful forms of energy, such as heat and electricity, using the latest solar panel technologies. Solar energy is not available continuously, especially not at night! Never the less, some types of urban energy use are well matched to solar energy availability, most obviously day time office electrical loads and, in particular, summer time air conditioning loads. Solar energy is said to be one of the energy sources of the future. It is being improved on at a rapid pace and the uses for it are growing everyday.

Solar energy is a form of light energy: it is light from the sun. Solar energy is a diffuse resource, and is directly available only in daylight, weather permitting. Without either natural or artificial devices for energy collection, concentration, storage, and distribution–many of which are being actively studied–its place in satisfying human energy needs will remain small. Solar energy is an obvious choice yet many initiatives have proved unsustainable because of dependence on direct subsidies to cover the upfront costs of the technology. The answer lies in making solar energy commercially viable yet affordable for the rural poor.

Solar energy is free and inexhaustible. Converting sunlight into useful forms for human consumption is not exactly free, but with today’s technology, it is not nearly as expensive as it once used to be. Solar energy is the energy force that sustains life on the earth for all plants, animals, and people. The earth receives this radiant energy from the sun in the form of electromagnetic waves, which the sun continually emits into space. Solar energy is already in widespread use where other power supplies are absent, such as in remote locations and in space.

Building Integrated Photovoltaic is designed to be parts of building structure, such as roofs and walls. As the silicon film cells are semi-transparent they can be used as glazing and shading devices. Buildings are major consumers of energy, representing about 40% of total energy consumption in Europe. The sharpened focus on climate change and energy supply reliability places more stringent demands on new buildings. Building efficient, and therefore cheap, photovoltaic cells is not, however, a guarantee that solar power will become a major part of the world’s energy mix. Even if these devices can be converted into high-performance commercial products, there still remains the problem of actually building and installing the enormous number of panels that would be needed.

Technological advances have made panels more effective, and they now work in cloudy weather as well as full sun. What’s more, owners can now sell the electricity they generate straight on to the national grid, in contrast with the previous method of storing it in batteries.

Photovoltaic cells allow the direct conversion of solar radiation into electricity by the interaction of light with the electrons in a semiconductor cell. As development in solar technology has increased, it has become much cheaper and the world is starting to invest in the technology. Photovoltaic have a payback period of several at least a decade and sometimes double that. Photovoltaic generators operate with no moving parts, noise or pollution, making them the most appropriate renewable energy source for use in urban areas.

Active solar power involves installing a collector, usually a panel, to collect energy. No longer just the domain of specialist retailers, solar panels are now available from some larger high street DIY stores. Active solar water heaters rely on electric pumps, and controllers to circulate water, or other heat-transfer fluids through the collectors. Passive solar water heaters rely on gravity and the tendency for water to naturally circulate as it is heated. Active solar water heating and passive space heating represent two of the most common uses for solar energy. You will probably notice more solar panels atop the roofs of residential or commercial buildings. Solar energy is cleanest and most environmentally friendly power source available.