The sun has always given life. In the past 10 years, it has become a major player in the worldwide energy market.
From bad panels with low effectiveness and high costs to gigawatt solar farms that produce clean energy, you can obviously see the revolution in solar power. The technology that was niche is now a main player.
The Shift Towards Efficiency and Affordability
Ten years ago, solar panels were bulky, expensive, and inconvenient. Homeowners were hesitant, local governments debated, and companies saw a negative return on investment. Then, innovation took over. Solar panel technology and improvements in photovoltaic (PV) cells rapidly evolved; they were more efficient, and their power potential greatly increased. Coinciding with this, production costs fell due to the vast improvement in PV cell production efficiency.
Today, solar power is one of the cheaper renewable power resources. In many countries, it beats fossil fuels in terms of cost per kilowatt-hour. The rise of perovskite solar cells and panels, which can absorb albedo solar energy based on supply and demand, has led to more productive increases in solar power, bringing it to the forefront.
Storage Solutions and Grid Integration
The biggest issue with solar energy, however, has always lay with storage. The sun doesn’t shine all day, but we require energy 24/7. It wasn’t until about a decade ago that battery technology had advanced as much as it has. Lithium-ion batteries are now at a price point that home and business owners can purchase to store the excess solar energy that they generate during the day for use during the night.
Integration with electrical grids is another area in which technology has come a long way. Smart grids, inverters, and energy management systems now allow for two-way traffic, so to speak, with electricity being fed into an existing grid as you produce it on your home, business, or local solar farm. In some towns and cities around the world, locals are actually making money by selling their excess solar power back to their municipal energy provider. Imagine getting a check in the mail instead of a bill!
Solar Power in the Job Market
Technology isn’t the only thing that’s changed, though. The job market has also flourished, with the sector growing exponentially over the last ten years. What was once a few, far between research roles and niche installation opportunities, is now dozens of different areas of specialty.
With the industry booming, companies who are recruiting for these specialists, such as https://blog.energyjobsearch.com, have become key in finding professionals who are equipped to work with them not only as they continue to grow but who will help push forward their part of the clean energy revolution.
As new jobs are being created with mass recruiters in recent pollutants, solar power is creating jobs and, with that, reshaping economies around the world.
The Rise of Large-Scale Solar Projects
Ten years ago, the idea of cities running on solar power was fanciful. Today, sprawling solar plants are proving it possible. Nations like China, India, and the U.S. have spent billions on solar, effectively building massive power plants that can light millions of homes. Floating solar plants, which make use of water bodies to save land and improve efficiency, are also becoming popular.
Tycoons are getting in on the act as well. Google and Apple are 100% powered by renewable energy – most of it solar. Their actions prove that solar power isn’t an option- it is the way to go.
What’s Next for Solar Power?
And the next ten years will be more amazing. Researchers are working on solar skins that blend harmoniously with building exteriors, making solar panels more attractive to customers. Orbiting solar could be another game-changing concept where energy is harvested in space and beamed to Earth wirelessly.
