Solar energy is the light and heat that reaches the Earth's surface from the Sun. The amount that reaches the Earth's surface is enormous. In 2002, enough solar energy was absorbed by the oceans and land masses in two hours to keep up with our energy needs for a whole year.The problem is, we aren't able to harvest all that, let alone store it. At the moment, most solar panels get about 5-18% efficiency, meaning 95-82% is lost as heat. Thi sounds like a lot, and it is, but that 5-18% is is still a fair bit of energy. Research into more efficient methods is being done by a number of companies. An older technology called luminescent solar concentration is being worked on and it is predicted that after research is done, it will have an efficiency of about 30%.
Here are some pros and cons of solar power
Pros:
Inexpensive
No waste products
Doesn't require a special facility
Can be used just about anywhere
Cons:
Generates no power at night
Delicate
Not very efficient (yet)
