Solar power is one of the fastest evolving renewable energy sources. There are two main sciences behind solar power. The first involves direct conversion of light energy from the sun into electricity using photovoltaic cells. The second involves using highly reflective dishes or tower systems to focus light from the sun onto water or special fluid, thereby heating it to a temperature where it can be used to drive turbines and generate electricity (7).
The major advantages of solar power in either form is that is requires no raw materials as fuel--an inexhaustible resource, there are no pollutants formed or released, and it has a high reliability. Current research into new materials and the miniaturization of components has made solar power more efficient and cost-effective. Developments in other fields have made it possible to more efficiently store electricity to provide a near continuous, uninterupted power supply.
Despite all the advantages of solar power there are still numerous drawbacks that limit its application until further developments are made. While automation has improved production of solar cells there is still a lack of commercial mass producibility to make solar power feasible as a large scale provider of electricity. In addition until the advent of newer, more efficient materials, it is currently necessary to have a large number of solar cells to convert a relatively small amount of energy. Solar thermal energy requires large arrays to collect and focus light as well as steam turbines and generators to produce electricity.