The definition of solar energy may seem obvious, but it’s not. Solar energy can be defined as the energy that the sun transmits to Earth in the form of electromagnetic waves. The energy that comes to us from the sun produces all the forms of renewable energy known to us – the sun is the cause behind the warming of the atmosphere, the wind, waves, tides, plant growth (including the plants from millions of years ago that produced fossil fuels), and also geothermal energy, which is left over from the formation of our planet from the collection of dusts that orbited the sun at the beginning of its history. The use of this immense resource is a topical issue that transcends decades, and even centuries. “I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that”, said Thomas Edison in 1931. But his words hit the nail on the head, even today. The sun continues to play a fundamental role nowadays, on the path towards decarbonization. The recent Princeton study, Net-Zero America: Potential Pathways, Infrastructure, and Impacts, foreshadows the energy future of the United States. In four of the five outlined scenarios, the capacity to generate solar and wind energy is expected to quadruple by 2030 to cover half of the nation's electricity needs. These numbers indicate the path forward for both Europe and the rest of the world, of course.
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