Solar power is the electricity generated using the solar radiation from the Sun. Although solar power makes up a small percentage of global energy production, some countries use significant amounts of solar power. China and the United States lead the world in total solar energy capacity, whereas Germany is a country which obtains a large percentage of their electricity from solar energy.[2] See the interactive graph below for more statistics on solar power in the world.
The ability to harness sunlight and use that energy to generate electricity is achieved through a variety of methods. This article focuses on the use of photovoltaic cells and solar thermal power plants, however solar energy can also be harnessed for domestic water heating.
Figures 2 and 3 below show a solar photovoltaic power plant and a solar thermal power plant.
