About solar energy
The mother of all energy
If the earth is our home, we owe a lot to solar energy. Just to offer some perspective, solar radiation is the key element of chlorophyll photosynthesis which kickstarts the basis for life for most creatures that inhabit the planet. Solar radiation is also the origin of winds, tides and fossil fuels: the sun is the primary engine of almost all forms of energy on our planet.
Over the centuries, humankind leveraged the strong connection linking plant life and the sun, especially to learn how to manage the lifecycle of plants to transform them in edible crops. As technological progress plowed on, by the end of the nineteenth century it allowed to transform the sun’s energy in electricity through the solar cell: a device that leverages the physics phenomenon known as the photovoltaic effect.
Today, after nearly 150 years since the onset of the first photovoltaic cell, solar energy is the fastest growing renewable energy source (+24% yearly, according to the 2019 IRENA report) and its technological development follows through, delivering ever more efficient solar power plants. The global threshold of 1.000 GW-worth of installed capacity is ready to be reached and surpassed, with Asia leading the global growth trend. Hence, the sun will keep on shining and guiding the unstoppable rise of green energy.
The history of solar energy
A future bound energy, from fire to electricity
How does photovoltaic energy work?
How is sunlight captured and converted into electrical energy? What are bifacial panels? What is an inverter? Find out how many different types of photovoltaic module there are, how panels are made and what support structures they are placed on. In this video we explain everything, step by step.
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Strong points of solar energy
Powerful, sustainable and quiet
The sky's the limit
The average efficiency of solar panels stands at 20% although technological efficiency is working tirelessly to raise the bar, day after day. Heterojunction technology is now pegged at 24.63% while multi-junction technology is already above 40%.
A scalable resource
From household roofs to large photovoltaic solar parks, solar energy is flexible enough to make it the ideal solution for any kind of personal or business need.
Carbon and noise neutral
A photovoltaic power plant generates energy in a clean and silent way. Zero C02 emissions and zero decibels make a very compelling case for renewable energy.
All the advantages of solar energy
An inexhaustible resource combined with versatile, silent, efficient technologies. One of the strengths of solar energy is that it is self-generating and can be used anywhere. And its advantages will only increase in the future.
How much solar energy Italy produces and where it’s produced
Every year, over 20 TWh are produced by solar energy. Northern Italy has the largest number of plants but the central and southern regions dominate in terms of per capita energy production.
Agrivoltaics in Italy and efficient land use
According to data from the Gestore dei Servizi Energetici (Energy Services Administrator), photovoltaic installations in Italy took up just 0.05% of the country’s land in 2021. And this impact will continue to be marginal in the future, thanks to the construction of new renewable plants in agricultural or livestock areas.
Frequently asked questions about solar energy
In 2019 alone, energy from the sun stopped 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from being released into the atmosphere. By 2050, a quarter of the world’s energy could be derived from solar power. This industry is creating numerous jobs and developing new revenue streams for farmers. Here are all of the answers to your questions about this renewable source – one that is abundant everywhere and inexhaustible.
Did you know?
The Saharan solar park: an impossible dream, or not?
Spanning nine million square kilometers and day temperatures soaring above 50° Celsius. If the Sahara desert were a nation, it would rank in fifth place for its size, behind Russia, Canada, China, the United States and above Brazil. Although, since it features only 0.11 inhabitants per square kilometers it would naturally be the less inhabited by far.
Would it be possible to transform the Sahara in one huge solar park that could generate energy on a global scale? Technical difficulties aside, some definitive data on solar energy is surprising. According to Mehran Moalem, an energy expert quoted by Forbes magazine, the solar energy captured in an area just larger than 1% of the Sahara desert would be sufficient to meet the world’s energy needs.
