With these two forms of solar energy comes a wide range of opportunities for technical innovation.
Future technology in solar panels.
Modern day solar panels have a maximum efficiency of about 33 meaning that much of the sun s solar radiation goes to waste even under the most ideal circumstances.
There is already a move in place towards higher efficiency modules which can generate 1 5 times more power than existing similarly sized modules today using a technology called tandem silicon cells.
1 floating solar farms aka floatovoltaics.
Silicon panels are becoming cheaper and more efficient day by day.
10 to 15 years ahead of what i forecast in 2011.
Going forward the solar industry has very clear cost reduction roadmaps which should see solar costs halving by 2030.
One encouraging trend relating to the future of solar energy is that many of the world s greatest innovators are choosing to focus their talents and funds on improving alternative energy technology.
In fact solar has reached prices today that are.
2 bipv solar technology.
Building integrated photovoltaics as the name suggests seamlessly blend into building.
30 to 40 years ahead of what the iea forecast in its 2014 solar technology roadmap.
50 to 100 years ahead of what the iea forecast in its 2010 world energy outlook depending on how one extrapolates iea s forecasts from 2010.
All in all the future of solar is bright.
Solar pv technology captures sunlight to generate electric power and csp harnesses the sun s heat and uses it to generate thermal energy that powers heaters or turbines.
Many award schemes funded by various governments around the world focus on providing solar power economically and on a large scale.
Their high absorption coefficient enables ultra thin films of around 500 nm one nanometer equals one billionth of a meter or 0 000000001 m to absorb the complete visible solar spectrum.
Power roll ltd predicts that solar modules produced using this design will weigh only a fraction of an equivalent power conventional solar module which could benefit less developed and off grid areas of the world where it is not viable to transport heavy solar panels as well as a wide range of other applications.
The solar industry is a game of shaving pennies.
Expert jenya meydbray catalogues both the history of innovation and a host of new solar advances coming down the pike that will continue to drive.
Most major studies show solar expanding significantly as costs decline and societies use their values to drive their energy choices.