Solar energy can be harnessed through three main technologies: 1) Solar photovoltaics use silicon cells to convert sunlight directly into electricity. This was first achieved in 1954 and solar cells now power satellites, calculators and more. 2) Solar heating and cooling technologies collect thermal energy from the sun to provide hot water, space heating, cooling and pool heating. 3) Concentrating solar power plants use mirrors to focus sunlight and power steam turbines or engines to generate electricity, including storing thermal energy for nighttime use.

1. Solar Energy
Dr Fayaz A. Malla
Assistant Professor, Environmental Sciences
GDC Tral
Higher Education Department, Govt. of J&K
Email: nami.fayaz@gmail.com

5. Solar Photovoltaic Technology
Photovoltaics (often shortened as PV) gets its name from
the process of converting light (photons) to electricity
(voltage), which is called the photovoltaic effect. This
phenomenon was first exploited in 1954 by scientists at Bell
Laboratories who created a working solar cell made from
silicon that generated an electric current when exposed to
sunlight. Solar cells were soon being used to power space
satellites and smaller items such as calculators and watches.
Today, electricity from solar cells has become cost
competitive in many regions and photovoltaic systems are
being deployed at large scales to help power the electric
grid.

7. Solar Heating & Cooling
Solar heating & cooling (SHC)
technologies collect the
thermal energy from the sun
and use this heat to provide
hot water, space heating,
cooling, and pool heating for
residential, commercial, and
industrial applications. These
technologies displace the
need to use electricity or
natural gas.
Sunlight: Sunlight hits the dark material in the collector,
which heats up.
Circulation: Cool fluid (water) or air circulates through
the collector, absorbing heat.
Use: The warmer fluid is used for applications such as
pool heating

9. Concentrating
Solar Power
Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants use mirrors
to concentrate the sun's energy to drive traditional
steam turbines or engines that create electricity.
The thermal energy concentrated in a CSP plant
can be stored and used to produce electricity when
it is needed, day or night.

14. • India is endowed with vast solar energy
potential. About 5,000 trillion kWh per year
energy is incident over India's land area with
most parts receiving 4-7 kWh /m2/day.
• National Institute of Solar Energy has
assessed the Country’s solar potential of
about 748 GW assuming 3% of the waste
land area to be covered by Solar PV modules.
• National Solar Mission (NSM) was launched
on 11th January 2010. NSM is a major
initiative of the Government of India with
active participation from States to promote
ecological sustainable growth while
addressing India’s energy security
challenges.

15. The Mission targets installing 100 GW grid-
connected solar power plants by the year
2022.
In order to achieve the above target,
Government of India have launched various
schemes to encourage generation of solar
power in the country like Solar Park Scheme,
VGF Schemes, CPSU Scheme, Defense
Scheme, Canal bank & Canal top Scheme,
Bundling Scheme, Grid Connected Solar
Rooftop Scheme etc.
Recently, India achieved 5th global position in
solar power deployment by surpassing Italy.
Solar power capacity has increased by more
than 11 times in the last five years from 2.6
GW in March,2014 to 30 GW in July 2019.
Presently, solar tariff in India is very
competitive and has achieved grid parity.