Solar energy?is?radiant light and heat from the Sun?that is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as?solar heating,?photovoltaics,?solar thermal energy,?solar architecture, molten salt power plants and?artificial photosynthesis.[1][2]
It is an essential source of?renewable energy, and its technologies are broadly characterized as either?passive solar?or?active solar?depending on how they capture and distribute solar energy or convert it into?solar power. Active solar techniques include the use of?photovoltaic systems,?concentrated solar power, and?solar water heating?to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable?thermal mass?or light-dispersing properties, and designing spaces that?naturally circulate air.
The large magnitude of solar energy available makes it a highly appealing source of electricity. The?United Nations Development Programme?in its 2000 World Energy Assessment found that the annual potential of solar energy was 1,575?49,837?exajoules?(EJ). This is several times larger than the total?world energy consumption, which was 559.8?EJ in 2012.[3][4]
