Discover the future of solar energy
At its annual forum, World Economic announced that "by 2030, solar energy could become the most important energy source for electricity and heat production in much of the world." So while solar power remains marginal in the global energy mix, we are forced to see that it is growing exponentially and worldwide. Indeed, solar energy seems to be the great energy of the future due to its multiple advantages: renewable, inexhaustible, universal and accessible to all.
Solar energy, the energy of the future
Solar energy has a remarkable and undeniable characteristic : it is inexhaustible, universal and accessible to all. This diffuse and universal character assures it a very special place in the new energy uses of tomorrow.
The growth of solar energy in the world is driven not only by the industrial sector, which has a high demand for electricity and hot water , but also by individual or community use. In emerging countries, where there is a lack of energy infrastructure, it offers simple and autonomous solutions to the most isolated inhabitants. In industrialized countries, it is presented to individuals as a source of complementary energy, a source of savings and even a source of income when transmitted to electricity grids.
If we look at the use made of different solar , photovoltaic, thermal and hybrid technologies, we can see that solar energy offers a very complete solution to most people. However, we must be careful to avoid generalizations. First of all, let `s look at solar thermal panels. The capture of the sun`s rays by the panel`s thermal sensors is the most immediate use of solar energy. By converting solar radiation into heat, thermal collectors can supply domestic hot water and heating to individual and collective buildings. The reduction in the cost of photovoltaic panels has led to a growing number of individual and collective uses. By capturing sunlight and transforming it into electricity, photovoltaic panels are integrated or installed on the roofs of houses, collective buildings and agricultural facilities. The energy produced is used for self-consumption or returned to the grid. Hybrid solar panels satisfy both electrical and thermal demand.
If we look back at the energy market 20 years ago, we see that the global solar market was extremely limited and depended mainly on subsidies and the few policies of the time. At present, solar energy is growing considerably and the interest of the world market is increasing.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) , by 2021 more than 130 gigawatts (GW) of new solar capacity will have been installed worldwide: data that confirms its exponential growth. For the World Economic Forum, this rapid growth of solar energy can only accelerate as costs continue to fall and technological advances are made in the efficiency of the panels and even in the storage of the electricity produced, and it bets that by 2030 Solar energy becomes the most important energy source for both homes and industry.
In the last decade, the price of solar energy has fallen dramatically, by more than 85% since 2010, according to the International Energy Agency. And new technologies continue to promise to increase the efficiency of solar panels and reduce their costs, such as aHTech® hybrid solar technology, which offers higher efficiency (89%) and combines it with the best profitability on the market. According to the World Economic Forum, the price of solar panels could drop by 40-50% in ten years, with a much higher return on investment than other renewables.
In fact, improvements and innovations in solar technology are essential to the growing political interest in the solar sector. Abora Solar is aware of this and, for this reason, it strives to offer the most efficient and cost-effective energy solution for everyone , which allows meeting the 2030 objectives set by the European Union: this is the answer given by its hybrid solar panel with aHTech® technology.
An answer to challenge of decarbonization and the climate issue
At present, the share of solar energy or even, in general, the share of renewable energies in the energy mix is still low compared to fossil fuels. However, the growing share of renewable energies is undeniable and is explained, in particular, by the collective awareness of a common action to fight the climate challenge, but also by political positions such as the application of the 2030 Agenda by the European Union in favor of the use of renewable energy. Among renewable energies, solar energy is very promising due to its many advantages and the response it offers to the climate challenge.
“Year after year, we set consecutive records in the renewable energy sector. In fact, renewable energy has made fantastic progress. They outperform all other fuels in terms of growth and competitiveness. (...) but progress in the electricity sector is only a small part of the equation. Not to change the entire energy system is to be blind to reality”, warns Rana Adib, Executive Director of REN21.
In fact, to think of energy only in terms of electricity is to miss an important part of what constitutes the total demand for energy. According to the report The State of Renewable Energy in the World in 2020, prepared jointly by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century ( REN21), heat represents more than 50% of the total energy we consume in the world, three times more than electricity.
Currently, most of the use of renewable energy is in the electricity sector, where it continues to grow rapidly. One of the main reasons for the low penetration of renewable energy in thermal end uses is the lack of support policies in these sectors.
Therefore, it is necessary that in the decarbonization plans renewable heat production systems and sustainable and emission-free electricity production systems are developed. According to the same report: The momentum of photovoltaics hides a significant delay in the sectors of heating, cooling and transport. It would be short-sighted to celebrate the progress of the photovoltaic sector without acknowledging the alarmingly low and slow uptake of renewables in the heating, cooling and transport sectors.
Electricity use , for example for lighting, household appliances and industrial equipment, only accounts for 17% of global final energy demand, while heating, cooling and transport account for up to 83% of energy what we consume The share of renewables in heating and cooling is low (10.1%) and barely increasing, although this sector represents more than half of the total energy demand.
If we want to achieve a global energy transition, to meet the ambitious 2050 goals set by COP21, we need to produce energy from renewable sources, but more specifically we need to gather 3 key attributes. First of all, we need an efficient system: we need a system that can generate renewable energy and convert it, in the most efficient way possible, into useful energy ready for consumption.
But also a system that is scalable on a large scale, that is, practical and easy to implement in the process of manufacturing, installation and end use: with global energy consumption so widespread around the world for different uses, we need a system that, Regardless of the location, the type of consumption or even the financial means available, it can be easily implemented and provide energy directly. Therefore, not only must the percentage of different renewable energies be increased for centralized electricity generation, but generation must be decentralized, and produce where it is consumed.
In this way we avoid electrical distribution losses, in addition to being able to produce heat for self-consumption. Finally, we need a system that is cost-effective : this means that we must not only produce more energy, but we must do it at the lowest possible cost. So we need a renewable energy system that is efficient, scalable and cost effective.
The future is in the hands of solar technology
We will see that not all give the same answer. Let`s start with photovoltaic technology: we know that it is a solar technology that, thanks to the photovoltaic cells that make it up, absorbs solar energy and converts it into electricity, and electricity only. However, as we have mentioned before, just talking about electricity for energy and decarbonization is not a sufficient answer, since it only addresses 17% of the problem.
Also, it is a double whammy for photovoltaics with global warming. In fact, the production of solar energy through photovoltaics will be affected by global warming, since the performance of its cells decreases with heat, as indicated by the MIT report on the performance of photovoltaics in the face of increasing temperatures. temperatures. If we turn now to the solar thermal panel , the answer offered is also only partial, since it only produces hot water. To have a complete answer, you will have to invest in a solution that includes photovoltaic and thermal panels, while the available installation surface is usually not enough to house both technologies and, therefore, produce the energy corresponding to your consumption.
Finally, hybrid solar panels combine the production of both types of solar energy -solar heat and solar electricity- in a single collector, thus achieving a higher performance per surface area. This is especially important if the available roof area is limited, but the concept of integrated solar energy is necessary to achieve climate-neutral energy production for consumers, such as in residential and commercial buildings.
The hybrid solar panel is a winning combination:
A combination of two solar panels in 1 that offers the best profitability on the market and the best performance compared to its competitors, 89% efficient to be exact, and produces 100% renewable electrical and thermal energy. It is the solar energy solution. Today, the world faces an energy challenge and we are not meeting even half of it by focusing solely on electric power. Hybrid solar panels offer a complete answer to this challenge: by investing in this technology, you are betting on the future.