About solar energy

Adequate availability of clean, affordable and safe energy for everyone is one of the most important conditions for a sustainable society. The energy supply itself must become sustainable too: to prevent climate change the emission of greenhouse gases like CO2 must be reduced considerably. In addition, the reserves of fossil fuels are gradually becoming exhausted, so we have to go in search of renewable sources.

Target for solar energy in the EU

The European Union encourages the use of renewable energy. Europe aims to double the use of renewable energy from 6% in 1996 to 12% in 2010. Solar energy is generally seen as the renewable segment with the greatest growth potential. The target for solar energy set by the European Commission is an installed capacity of 3000 MW in 2010.

Worldwide growth

The solar energy sector has grown fourfold in the last five years and realised a turnover of over 10 billion euro in 2006, mainly thanks to incentives made available in Germany, Japan and the United States. The European Commission’s target of 3000 MW of solar capacity in Europe in 2010 may already be achieved in 2007. It is expected that in 2030 more than 200,000 MW of solar capacity will have been installed.

History of solar energy

The photovoltaic (PV) effect, converting light into electricity, was discovered by Becquerel in 1839. Since the demonstration of the first silicon solar cell by the Bell Telephone Research Laboratories in the US in 1954 the technique has been used intensively and successfully to supply energy to satellites. The advantages of solar energy as a clean, affordable and safe energy source for daily use are becoming ever more recognised.