The push for the transition to solar energy

An article has recently been published in  Nature Coomunications  entitled “The momentum of the solar energy transition”, which analyzes the reality of solar energy to generate electricity and its possible evolution in the future, and it is interesting and positive for this technology.

The full article can be found at:

file:///C:/Users/Usuario/Downloads/s41467-023-41971-7.pdf

Solar energy is a clean, renewable energy source that has the potential to revolutionize the global energy sector. In recent years, solar technology has seen rapid development, leading to a significant decrease in costs and an increase in efficiency. As a result, solar energy has become an increasingly competitive option for electricity production.

Some experts believe the world may have crossed the "tipping point" for solar energy. A tipping point occurs when a new technology reaches an adoption threshold that makes it a viable option for a wide range of applications. In the case of solar energy, this turning point could have occurred in 2023, when global solar capacity exceeded 1 Terawatt. (TW).

There are a number of factors that support the claim that the world has crossed the solar energy tipping point. First, solar energy costs have plummeted in recent years. In 2010, the cost of generating electricity with solar energy was about 20 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). By 2023, the cost had fallen to less than 5 cents per kWh. This decrease in costs has made solar energy an increasingly competitive option for electricity generation.

Secondly, the efficiency of solar panels has increased significantly. In 2010, the efficiency of solar panels was about 15%. By 2023, efficiency had increased to more than 25%. This improvement in efficiency has made solar panels capable of generating more electricity per square meter of surface area.

Third, the demand for solar energy is increasing rapidly. In 2023, global solar capacity increased by 20%. This demand is being driven by a number of factors, including rising fossil energy costs, growing concerns about climate change and government policies that support renewable energy.

Below you can see an image of the reference article, on the evolution of the use of solar energy to generate electricity:

If the world has crossed the solar energy tipping point, this could have a significant impact on the global energy sector. Solar energy could become a dominant energy source, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make the energy system more sustainable.

The impact of solar energy is very significant in a number of areas, including:

• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions: Solar energy is a clean energy source that does not produce greenhouse gas emissions. This makes it an attractive option to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.
• Increased energy security: Solar energy is a renewable energy source that is not subject to the fluctuations of the fossil fuel market. This makes it an attractive option to increase energy security.
• Job creation: The solar industry creates jobs in a number of sectors, including manufacturing, installation and maintenance. The growth of solar energy could create millions of jobs around the world.

Despite the benefits of solar energy, there are a number of challenges that must be addressed for this technology to reach its full potential. Among the most important challenges are:

• Energy Storage: Solar energy is an intermittent energy source, meaning it is not always available when needed. Energy storage is necessary to ensure that solar energy is available when needed.
• Solar energy costs: The costs of solar energy remain somewhat higher than those of fossil energy sources. However, costs are falling rapidly, making solar energy increasingly competitive.
• Social acceptance: Solar energy requires large areas of land for the installation of solar panels. This can cause social acceptance problems in some areas. The unemployment that it causes in areas of the population that currently work in fossil fuel companies may also produce rejection.

Solar energy is a technology with great potential to transform the global energy sector. The world may have crossed the tipping point for solar energy, which could lead to rapid growth of this technology in the coming years. However, there are a number of challenges that must be addressed for solar energy to reach its full potential.

But the future is yet to be made, and energy needs do not stop increasing around the world, so we need to have all the alternatives capable of generating electrical energy that does not pollute our environment.