The solar industry is changing rapidly due to unprecedented growth. You may be surprised by these six facts about this growing energy source.
173,000 Terawatts (or 173,000 terawatts) of solar energy constantly bombard the Earth. This is more than 10,000 times the total amount of energy used worldwide.
Bell Laboratories built the first silicon solar cells in 1954, the predecessors of all solar-powered products. The New York Times announced the milestone on the first page of its April 26, 1954 issue. It was “the dawning of a new age, which will eventually lead to the realization of one of humanity’s greatest dreams: harnessing the nearly limitless power of the sun.”
Early adopters of solar technology were the space industry. The space industry started using solar technology in the 1950s to power spacecraft. The Vanguard 1, the first artificial Earth satellite powered by solar panels, remains the oldest artificial spacecraft in orbit. It has logged more than 6 billion miles.
The demand for solar power in the United States has peaked. Solar power in the U.S. increased by more than 23-fold over the last eight years, from 1.2 gigawatts in 2008 to an estimated 27,4 GW at the end of 2015. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, that’s enough power to power 5.4 million average American homes. The U.S. has the potential to be the world’s second-largest market for solar energy.
Solar energy has become a more economical option for American businesses and homeowners as prices continue to drop. The biggest obstacle to affordable solar energy is the soft costs, such as permitting, zoning, and connecting a solar system to the power grid. Local permitting and inspection costs can add up to $2,500 and take six months. The Soft Costs Program of the SunShot Initiative aims to make going solar more accessible and affordable for businesses and families.
Ivanpah Solar Power Facility is the largest solar thermal power plant in operation. It’s located in California’s Mojave desert. The plant uses concentrating solar (CSP), which focuses 173,500 heliostats with two mirrors each onto boilers in three power towers. The plant was put online in 2014. It has a capacity of 392 Megawatts (MW). CSP technology allows solar energy to remain stored and used after sunset. This has been a focus of our recent R&D efforts, which address concerns about delivering solar power where and when it is most needed.
Learn about our solar energy projects on the Sunshot Initiative project map and Solar Energy Basics.