As the name implies, solar energy is generated using the sun's powerful rays. Because sunlight is inexhaustible, solar energy is a valuable renewable energy source - directly generating heat, light and electricity.
Capable of According to the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL), the amount of energy from the sun that falls to the earth in one day could supply the entire world's energy needs for 27 years! Developing technologies that take advantage of the clean abundant energy of the sun is important to reducing greenhouse gasses and helping to stimulate the economy. There are two ways that sunlight can be converted to Directly as in the case of photovoltaic (PV) applications Indirectly as in the case of solar thermal applications

Solar Thermal Applications

Solar thermal collectors capture heat from sunlight and use it in a variety of ways. High temperature thermal collectors utilize mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight, collect heat, and convert the heat into electricity. Most large utility scale solar facilities are designed in this way. On the other hand, low-temperature thermal collectors use heat directly for hot water or space heating for residential, commercial, and industrial facilities.

Photovoltaic (PV) Applications

Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert sunlight directly into electricity and are made of semiconductors such as: crystalline silicon or various thin-film materials. Photovoltaics can provide tiny amounts of power for watches, large and recognizable method for converting the sun's rays into amounts for the electric grid, and everything in between. Solar panels made up of PVicells are the most widespread electric power you might have even seen solar panels on homes and businesses in your neighborhood