Sunlight takes 8 minutes 20 seconds to reach earth's surface and it is almost 3078 times the energy that we need to sustain. So, our
SUN is seen as most abundant renewable energy source.
Average global power demand is considered to be 16 TW. Surface power density is a tool which helps us evaluate land requirement for each renewable energy resource. Table given below shows range of densities that represent an average power density of all locations on earth.
Source
|
W/m2
|
Hydro
|
8-10
|
Wind
|
2-3
|
Solar
|
20-30
|
Bio
|
0.1-0.3
|
Geo
|
0.005-0.015
|
Tidal
|
2.5-3.5
|
Wave
|
20-30
|
Solar Energy is economically viable and competitive in market. A recent report in International Energy Agency (IEA) states that photo-voltaic and solar thermal technologies will fulfill 27% demand by 2050. Dropping cost of solar cell and continuous innovation is making solar technology more attractive. Innovations have been made in past years and efficiency has also reached beyond limits, thus promising a future with clean energy.
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