Solar Hub

Solar energy is the technology used to harness the sun's energy and make it useable. As of 2011, the technology produced less than one tenth of one percent of global energy demand. Many are familiar with so-called photovoltaic cells, or solar panels, found on things like spacecraft, rooftops, and handheld calculators. The cells are made of semiconductor materials like those found in computer chips. When sunlight hits the cells, it knocks electrons loose from their atoms. As the electrons flow through the cell, they generate electricity. On a much larger scale, solar-thermal power plants employ various techniques to concentrate the sun's energy as a heat source. The heat is then used to boil water to drive a steam turbine that generates electricity in much the same fashion as coal and nuclear power plants, supplying electricity for thousands of people. How to Harness Solar Power In one technique, long troughs of U-shaped mirrors focus sunlight on a pipe of oil that runs through

How do you build a healthy solar business in a constantly changing market? Solar businesses have had to confront the effects of tariffs, changing incentives and many other new drivers of demand, which creates both opportunities and challenges for solar software. At the 2018 Solar Software Summit, MJ Shiao, formerly of Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables; and Paul Grana, of Folsom Labs; both took a deep look into how the industry has been affected by these changes, and how businesses can continue to thrive by using solar software. As MJ pointed out, the solar industry had a dim outlook entering 2018. Slowdowns were expected with the expected expiration of the ITC, and tariffs on solar modules also contributed to a slight decline in the market. Distributed solar was losing steam after years of record growth, and many solar installers stagnated or shrunk as well. Small commercial solar was expected to fade as its incentives disappear, and utility solar demand had begun to contract as w