Solar energy is clean and efficient and is making an immense impact on the world at the moment. Solar is also extremely beautiful, it harnesses the power of the sun's shining rays and turns it into positive energy, how could it not be! Here's some solar energy wonders from around the world: 1. The sunflower solar panel This wonderful solar technology from IBM, set to be ready in 2017, provides both electricity and can also desalinate water for sanitation and drinking. The machines can convert 80% of the sun's radiation into electricity and hot water. A group of several solar generators could provide enough fresh water for an entire town, and each generating enough electricity to supply energy for several homes.
2. The heart-shaped solar plant
This solar plant is to be built on the Pacific Island of New Caledonia in the beginning of 2015. It will generate enough electricity to supply 750 homes. The design was inspired by the "Heart of Voh", which is an area of nearby wild mangroves that naturally take the shape of a heart.
3. The Kagoshima Mega Solar Island
This is the largest solar power plant in japan. It generates enough power to supply roughly 22,000 average Japanese households, and doubles as a tourist destination. In 2013, Japan came in second worldwide for installing solar PV, their recent solar growth is very impressive!
4. The Gemasolar tower plant
This power plant located in Sevilla, Spain, and delivers power 24/7. It receives and store energy for up to 15 hours through molten salt technology.
5. The lIvanpah Solar Electric Generating System
This is the world's largest solar thermal plant. It is located in a sunny Salifornian desert and is owned by google. The plant began producing energy earlier this year. It produces enough electricity to supply 140,000 Californian household with reliable solar energy.
6. Britain's first floating solar plant
This floating solar panel project was built in Berkshire this year. It is situated on a farm water reservoir, and contains 800 panels. This is innovative, as climate change proliferates we will see more extreme weather events causing floods, solutions such as this could be extremely helpful.
7. The solar plant covering a network of canals
This solar project in India provides both energy and water security. It is a network of 15-metre-wide irrigation canals covered with 3,600 solar panels and produces power for hard to reach villages. The shading from the panels also prevents around 9m litres of water from evaporating each year, and the water symbiotically, provides a cooling effect for the panels, improving the electricity output.
