Solar Wikipedia

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 important 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]
In 2011, the International Energy Agency said that "the development of affordable, inexhaustible
and clean solar energy technologies will have huge longer-term benefits. It will increase
countries’ energy security through reliance on an indigenous, inexhaustible and mostly import-
independent resource, enhance sustainability, reduce pollution, lower the costs of
mitigating global warming, and keep fossil fuel prices lower than otherwise. These advantages
are global. Hence the additional costs of the incentives for early deployment should be
considered learning investments; they must be wisely spent and need to be widely shared".[1]

1. Germany
Germany is, without a doubt, the leading country for using solar energy.
Not only has Germany installed thousands of solar panels already, but it
plans to be using nothing but renewable energy by 2050. The country has
remained the top buyer of solar energy panels for several years now, and is
expected to continue going forward in the same direction during the
upcoming months.

During 2009, Germany installed eight times more megawatts of

photovoltaics solar energy capacity than America did that year.

2. Spain

Although Spain hasn’t converted to solar energy to the extent that Germany
has, it has been making an effort to use renewable energy more and more
for several years. Spain was once the world’s leader for solar energy.
However, 2009 saw it dip as Germany stepped up and took the top spot.
During its economic crisis, there was much less demand for energy, which
delayed the installing of solar energy panels within the country.

Around 10 percent of Spain’s energy comes from solar power, which is five
times more than the average of 2 percent in the rest of the world.

3. Italy
Italy is coming up just behind Spain, with 9 percent of its energy being from
solar power. Italy is doing a lot to convert to solar energy, and, every two
months, there are more solar energy panels installed in the country than
there in California during a whole year.

Unreliable data makes it difficult to predict exactly how much more solar
energy will be used by Italy in the future. Previously, estimates predicted
that Italy would have plenty of solar panels installed by the end of the year,
but the estimates turned out to be inaccurate, and Italy fell below the high
levels anticipated.

4. Japan
During 2009, Japan invested $9 billion in an attempt to encourage solar
energy within the country. In the same year, the prime minister announced
that 32,000 public schools within Japan would see the installation of solar
power.

Until March 2011, which saw the nuclear power disaster and earthquakes
in Japan, the country had been developing quickly in relation to solar
energy, and more than 990 megawatts had been installed than the year
before.

5. United States
As electricity costs get higher, Americans are showing more interest in
solar energy. The rising amounts of sunshine that the USA sees each year
is another factor that has encouraged the country to consider using more
solar energy.

California is the state with the most solar energy, and is the obvious leader
in the USA with 60 percent of all solar installations in America.

Plans are in place to install even much more solar power in coming years,
despite the potential expiration of the federal solar tax credit.
6. Czech Republic
Fast economic growth in the Czech Republic has been one of the main
reasons why solar energy is becoming dominant in this particular country.
With one of the fastest growing markets in the world, the Czech Republic
has been installing solar power at a good pace since before 2007.

Czech Republic doesn’t have as much solar power as Spain or Italy, of

course. However, countries like Spain and Italy see a lot more sun each
year. Additionally, Spain, Italy, Germany, the U.S., and Japan have much
larger populations. The fact that land in the Czech Republic is cheaper than
land in Spain has encouraged the growth of solar power significantly, and
even though there is less sunshine, the low cost of buying land has
compromised the lack of sunshine.

Conclusion
All of the countries mentioned here are growing to a great degree each
year in the amount of solar energy that they use. However, many other
countries around the world are also using solar power. If you think a certain
country should be given a mention, please share your thoughts and
opinions in the comments below.

1. Germany

Germany is, without a doubt, the leading country for using solar energy.
Not only has Germany installed thousands of solar panels already, but it
plans to be using nothing but renewable energy by 2050. The country has
remained the top buyer of solar energy panels for several years now, and is
expected to continue going forward in the same direction during the
upcoming months.

During 2009, Germany installed eight times more megawatts of

photovoltaics solar energy capacity than America did that year.

2. Spain

Although Spain hasn’t converted to solar energy to the extent that Germany
has, it has been making an effort to use renewable energy more and more
for several years. Spain was once the world’s leader for solar energy.
However, 2009 saw it dip as Germany stepped up and took the top spot.
During its economic crisis, there was much less demand for energy, which
delayed the installing of solar energy panels within the country.

Around 10 percent of Spain’s energy comes from solar power, which is five
times more than the average of 2 percent in the rest of the world.

3. Italy
Italy is coming up just behind Spain, with 9 percent of its energy being from
solar power. Italy is doing a lot to convert to solar energy, and, every two
months, there are more solar energy panels installed in the country than
there in California during a whole year.

Unreliable data makes it difficult to predict exactly how much more solar
energy will be used by Italy in the future. Previously, estimates predicted
that Italy would have plenty of solar panels installed by the end of the year,
but the estimates turned out to be inaccurate, and Italy fell below the high
levels anticipated.

4. Japan
During 2009, Japan invested $9 billion in an attempt to encourage solar
energy within the country. In the same year, the prime minister announced
that 32,000 public schools within Japan would see the installation of solar
power.

Until March 2011, which saw the nuclear power disaster and earthquakes
in Japan, the country had been developing quickly in relation to solar
energy, and more than 990 megawatts had been installed than the year
before.

5. United States
As electricity costs get higher, Americans are showing more interest in
solar energy. The rising amounts of sunshine that the USA sees each year
is another factor that has encouraged the country to consider using more
solar energy.

California is the state with the most solar energy, and is the obvious leader
in the USA with 60 percent of all solar installations in America.

Plans are in place to install even much more solar power in coming years,
despite the potential expiration of the federal solar tax credit.
6. Czech Republic
Fast economic growth in the Czech Republic has been one of the main
reasons why solar energy is becoming dominant in this particular country.
With one of the fastest growing markets in the world, the Czech Republic
has been installing solar power at a good pace since before 2007.

Czech Republic doesn’t have as much solar power as Spain or Italy, of

course. However, countries like Spain and Italy see a lot more sun each
year. Additionally, Spain, Italy, Germany, the U.S., and Japan have much
larger populations. The fact that land in the Czech Republic is cheaper than
land in Spain has encouraged the growth of solar power significantly, and
even though there is less sunshine, the low cost of buying land has
compromised the lack of sunshine.

Conclusion
All of the countries mentioned here are growing to a great degree each
year in the amount of solar energy that they use. However, many other
countries around the world are also using solar power. If you think a certain
country should be given a mention, please share your thoughts and
opinions in the comments below.