Photovoltaic and Thermal
Photovoltaic technology directly converts sunlight into electricity. Solar thermal technology harnesses its heat. These different technologies both tap the Sun’s energy, locally and in large-scale solar farms.
Like water and air, the Sun is one of the Earth’s life support systems, providing heat and light. Solar energy, which is renewable, widely available and clean, provides enough energy to meet the world’s annual consumption needs every 50 minutes. The challenge is to collect a share — however small — of this heat and radiant energy.
Two major technologies have been developed to harness it:
- Photovoltaic solar technology, which directly converts sunlight into electricity using panels made of semiconductor cells.
- Solar thermal technology, which captures the sun’s heat. This heat is used directly or converted into mechanical energy and in turn electricity, known as concentrated solar power.
Two different types of installations are used:
Individual systems for homes or small communities. Photovoltaic panels can power electrical devices, while solar thermal collectors can heat homes or hot water
Photovoltaic or concentrated solar power plants that cover hundreds of acres produce electricity on a large scale, which can be fed into power grids.
Solar energy is one of the most attractive renewable energies because of its flexibility — its capacity to power cities and industry using large solar plants while at the same time offering a stand-alone capability in the most isolated rural regions.
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