Solar power is the result of converting sunlight into electricity.

Sunlight can be
converted directly into electricity using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly with
concentrating solar power (CSP), which normally focuses the sun's energy to boil water
which is then used to provide power. The largest solar power plants, like the 354 MW
SEGS, are concentrating solar thermal plants, but recently multi-megawatt photovoltaic
plants have been built. Completed in 2008, the 46 MW Moura photovoltaic power station
in Portugal and the 40 MW Waldpolenz Solar Park in Germany are characteristic of the
trend toward larger photovoltaic power stations. Much larger ones are proposed, such as
the 550 MW Topaz Solar Farm, and the 600 MW Rancho Cielo Solar Farm.

Some technologies, such as solar thermal concentrators have an element of thermal

storage, such as molten salts. These store spare solar energy in the form of heat which is
made available overnight or during periods that solar power is not available to produce
electricity.

Applications of Solar Energy

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Sunlight can be converted
directly into electricity using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly with concentrating solar
power (CSP), which normally focuses the sun's energy to boil water which is then used to
provide power, and technologies such as the Stirling engine dishes which use a Stirling
cycle engine to power a generator. Photovoltaics were initially 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.

Solar power plants can face high installation costs, although this has been decreasing due
to the learning curve. Developing countries have started to build solar power plants,
replacing other sources of energy generation.
Since solar radiation is intermittent, solar power generation is usually combined either
with storage or other energy sources to provide continuous power, although for small
distributed producer/consumers, net metering makes this transparent to the consumer. On
a slightly larger scale, in Germany, a combined power plant has been demonstrated, using
a mix of wind, biomass, hydro-, and solar power generation, resulting in 100% renewable
energy.