1.

Introduction Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using the photoelectric effect. Commercial concentrated solar power plants were first developed in the 1980s. The 354 MW SEGS CSP installation is the largest solar power plant in the world, located in the Mojave Desert of California. Other large CSP plants include the Solnova Solar Power Station (150 MW) and the Andasol solar power station (150 MW), both in Spain. The over 250 MWAgua Caliente Solar Project in the United States, and the 221 MW Charanka Solar Park in India, are the worlds largest photovoltaic power stations. In 2012, an estimated 93.0 TWh was generated from solar power, about 0.41% of all electricity generation. This was a 58% increase over 2011.[1] 2. Energy from the Sun The Earth receives 174 petawatts (PW) of incoming solar radiation (insolation) at the upper atmosphere. Approximately 30% is reflected back to space while the rest is absorbed by clouds, oceans and land masses. The spectrum of solar light at the Earth's surface is mostly spread across the visible and nearinfrared ranges with a small part in the near-ultraviolet. Earth's land surface, oceans and atmosphere absorb solar radiation, and this raises their temperature. Warm air containing evaporated water from the oceans rises, causing atmospheric

circulation or convection. When the air reaches a high altitude, where the temperature is low, water vapor condenses into clouds, which rain onto the Earth's surface, completing the water cycle. The latent heat of water condensation amplifies convection, producing atmospheric phenomena such

as wind, cyclones and anti-cyclones. Sunlight absorbed by the oceans and land masses keeps the surface at an average temperature of 14 C. By photosynthesis green plants convert solar energy into chemical energy, which produces food, wood and the biomass from which fossil fuels are derived. The total solar energy absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, oceans and land masses is approximately 3,850,000 exajoules (EJ) per year. In 2002, this was more energy in one hour than the world used in one year. Photosynthesis captures approximately 3,000 EJ per year in biomass.The technical potential available from biomass is from 100300 EJ/year. The amount of solar energy reaching the surface of the planet is so vast that in one year it is about twice as much as will ever be obtained from all of the Earth's non-renewable resources of coal, oil, natural gas, and mined uranium combined,

Solar energy can be harnessed at different levels around the world, mostly depending on distance from the equator. 3. Applications Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Sunlight can be converted directly into electricity using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly with concentrated solar power (CSP), which normally focuses the sun's energy to boil water which is then used to provide power. Other technologies also exist, such as Stirling engine dishes which use a Stirling cycle engine to power a generator. Photovoltaics were initially, and still are, used to power small and medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by a single solar cell to off-grid homes powered by a photovoltaic array. They are an important and relatively inexpensive source of electrical energy where grid power is inconvenient, unreasonably expensive to connect, or simply unavailable.[2]

4. Photovoltaic power systems Solar cells produce direct current (DC) power which fluctuates with the sunlight's intensity. For practical use this usually requires conversion to certain desired voltages or alternating current (AC), through the use of inverters. Multiple solar cells are connected inside modules. Modules are wired together to form arrays, then tied to an inverter, which produces power at the desired voltage, and for AC, the desired frequency/phase[3]. Many residential systems are connected to the grid wherever available, especially in developed countries with large markets. In these grid-connected PV systems, use of energy storage is optional. In certain applications such as satellites, lighthouses, or in developing countries, batteries or additional power generators are often added as back-ups. Such stand-alone power systems permit operations at night and at other times of limited sunlight.

5. Energy storage methods Solar energy is not available at night, making energy storage an important issue in order to provide the continuous availability of energy. Both wind power and solar power are intermittent energy sources, meaning that all available output must be taken when it is available and either stored for when it can be used, or transported, over transmission lines, to where it can be used. Wind power and solar power tend to be somewhat complementary, as there tends to be more wind in the winter and more sun in the summer, but on days with no sun and no wind the difference needs to be made up in some manner. The Institute for Solar Energy Supply Technology of the University of Kassel pilot-tested a combined power plant linking

solar, wind, biogas and hydrostorage to provide load-following power around the clock, entirely from renewable sources[4]. Solar energy can be stored at high temperatures using molten salts. Salts are an effective storage medium because they are low-cost, have a high specific heat capacity and can deliver heat at temperatures compatible with conventional power systems. The Solar Two used this method of energy storage, allowing it to store 1.44 TJ in its 68 m storage tank, enough to provide full output for close to 39 hours, with an efficiency of about 99%.[ Off-grid PV systems have traditionally used rechargeable batteries to store excess electricity. With gridtied systems, excess electricity can be sent to the transmission grid. Net metering programs give these systems a credit for the electricity they deliver to the grid. This credit offsets electricity provided from the grid when the system cannot meet demand, effectively using the grid as a storage mechanism. Credits are normally rolled over from month to month and any remaining surplus settled annually. Pumped-storage hydroelectricity stores energy in the form of water pumped when surplus electricity is available, from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation one. The energy is recovered when demand is high by releasing the water: the pump becomes a turbine, and the motor a hydroelectric power generator. Artificial photosynthesis involves the use of nanotechnology to store solar electromagnetic energy in chemical bonds, by splitting water to produce hydrogen fuel or then combining with carbon dioxide to make biopolymers such as methanol. Many large national and regional research projects on artificial photosynthesis are now trying to develop techniques integrating improved light capture, quantum coherence methods of electron transfer and cheap catalytic materials that operate under a variety of atmospheric conditions. Senior researchers in the field have made the public policy case for a Global Project on Artificial Photosynthesis to address critical energy security and environmental sustainability issues. Solar power is seasonal, particularly in northern/southern climates, away from the equator, suggesting a need for long term seasonal storage in a medium such as hydrogen. The storage requirements vary and in some cases can be met with biomass. 6. Conclusion Solar energy is a clean, pollution free and renewable source of energy. Development of this source of energy requires an accurate detailed long-term knowledge of the potential taking into account seasonal variations. The region of the earth between the latitudes of 401N and 401S is generally known as the solar

belt and this region is supposed to be with an abundant amount of solar radiation. Karnataka being located between latitudes 111400N and 181270N has a geographic position that favours the harvesting and development of solar energy. Karnataka receives global solar radiation in the range of 3.8 6.4kWh/m2. Global solar radiation during monsoon is less compared to summer and winter because of the dense cloud cover. The study identifies that coastal parts of Karnataka with the higher global solar radiation are ideally suited for harvesting solar energy.[5] Wind speed less than 5 m/s is not of much relevance to wind energy applications. Chikkodi, Horti, Kahanderayanahalli, Kamkarhatti, Raichur and Bidar have wind velocity greater than 5 m/s during most of the months, i.e., wind energy potential is high in these locations. Hence, these locations are recommended for construction of wind farms. Small hydropower development is one of the thrust areas of power generation from renewables in the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources (MNES)[7]. Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources is encouraging development of small hydroprojects in the State sector as well as through private sector participation in various States. The potential sources of small hydropower are at the base of existing irrigation dams, anicuts ,canal drops and hill streams. The State government has so far accorded permission to private developers to establish small hydroprojects in more than 79 locations amounting to 465MW [8]. 7. References

1. "Energy Sources: Solar". Department of Energy. Retrieved 19 April 2011. 2. Martin and Goswami (2005), p. 45 3. 4. Spanish CSP Plant with Storage Produces Electricity for 24 Hours Straight "Concentrated Solar Thermal Power Now". Retrieved 19 August 2008. Future Prospects" (PDF). International Energy Agency SolarPACES. Retrieved 2 July 2008. 6. "UNLV Solar Site". University of Las Vegas. Retrieved 2 July 2008. 7. "Compact CLFR". Physics.usyd.edu.au. 12 June 2002. Retrieved 19 April 2011. 8. "Ausra compact CLFR introducing cost-saving solar rotation features" (PDF). Retrieved 19 April 2011.

5. "Concentrating Solar Power in 2001 An IEA/SolarPACES Summary of Present Status and