For years, solar energy has indirectly provided us with different sources of energy. The energy in fossil fuels originally comes from solar energy, trapped in the dead organisms such as algae, prehistoric plants and animals, and plankton that eventually transition to fuels. Also, bioethanol is produced from different crops, such as corn and sugar cane. Hydroelectric power would not be possible without solar energy to create rain and snow to grow rivers and wind energy relies on solar energy to heat the earth and create air movement.
What are the main solar energy technologies?
The direct use of solar energy to produce electricity on a utility scale is more recent and falls under two main categories, namely solar photovoltaic (solar PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP). Solar PV is the production of electricity from sunlight via the photovoltaic effect, which is…
