Solar energy: Current status and future prospects

Abstract

Although solar radiation has been used extensively ever since mankind moved from the hunter-gatherer mode to one of settlement agriculture it is only in recent decades that major scientific and technical effort has been dedicated to harnessing the power of the sun. Once solar radiation has been absorbed by a suitable surface and converted to heat it is possible to use this for a wide range of heating purposes at varying temperature levels. This use is often given the generic term of solar thermal systems. Solar radiation can also be used directly via the photovoltaic effect to produce electricity or indirectly through the solar thermal electric conversion process. © 1991.