Literature Review
Solar energy is still a relatively new phenomenon in terms of serving as a new energy supply to rival the use of fossil fuels. However, as Fares and Webber (2017), Lewis (2016) and other researchers show, solar energy has its uses—but also its limitations. Understanding where solar energy is capable of being advanced and where it has run into walls in terms of utilization are key to developing pathways to greater research and development opportunities (Lewis, 2016). Simply storing solar energy in an effective way has proved problematic (Sinsermsuksakul, Sun, Lee et al., 2014)—but even here, advancements are being made to help show how creative solutions are being proposed to harness solar energy efficiently (Assuncao, Moura & Almeida, 2016). Still, as Luthra, Kumar, Garg and Haleem (2015) point out, not all of the limitations of solar energy are technology-related: some of these limitations are social, political, economical and infrastructural as well. This literature review will examine the uses and limitations of solar energy according to the latest in research.
The uses of solar energy are numerous: solar cells are created using earth-abundant resources—such as tin, zinc, oxygen and sulfur; the cells collect light energy from the sun, which jolts loose atoms from the semiconductor material in the cell (Sinsermsuksakul et al., 2014). When electrical conductors are attached to form an electrical circuit, the electrons that are jolted loose are captured in an electrical current which is what allows solar cells to be used as an energy supply for everything from homes, to businesses, to cars (Assuncao et al., 2016). Nonetheless, in spite of the relatively simple way in which solar cells collect energy and make it available for those in need of electric power, the technology is still relatively limited in terms of where it should theoretically be—and part of this reason is because of the lack of research on moving these cells forward (Sinsermsuksakul et al., 2014). When the issue of solar energy is discussed in current literature, the main focus is on the usage of solar cells, which continue to receive attention from researchers as their maximum potential has yet to be reached, as Sinsermsuksakul et al. (2014) show. All the same, when breakthroughs are made, they still tend to be small: for example, the doubling of efficiency...
(2014) still only gave the cells roughly 1/10th of their theoretical potential as energy providers. For that reason, other researchers have also begun to see how solar thermal and solar fuels technologies may be advanced in light of the restrictions posed by solar cells (Lewis, 2016).
That is also why it is important to remember that solar cells—though some advancement has been made in this area—are only one aspect or the solar energy field. The study by Lewis (2016) focuses on current research opportunities on solar energy utilization and ways in which this energy source can be advanced in the modern world. And he is not alone: Assuncao et al. (2016) have begun examining alternative ways in which solar energy can be advanced. For example, in their study, they look at the use of repurposing electric vehicle (EV) batteries for the residential sector so as to support solar energy development. Their findings show that repurposing EV batteries can be both cost-effective and technically possible for homes seeking to unite solar energy power with the infrastructural grid already established. This type of approach conforms to the recommended guidance of Lewis (2016) who stipulates that more research has to be conducted outside the box—i.e., in creative and thoughtful ways that demonstrate the extent of the utility of solar energy so that it can be more meaningfully integrated into the lives of the modern individual. Thus, Lewis (2016) notes that creating more efficient solar cells is not the only way in which the sun’s energy can be harnessed and used: the researcher also points out that there is the potential for solar energy to be stored on the grid, and for solar thermal and solar fuels to be used in terms of harnessing solar energy. Lewis (2016) does highlight that solar energy is currently limited in terms of representing a small fraction of the total global energy supply—but usage of solar energy is always growing in estimation among technicians, lawmakers, environmental advocacy groups, and numerous stakeholders around the world, which serves to bring more focus and attention to the researching and development of solar energy usage. However, there still remain technological gaps in the production of low-cost solar panels that are scalable and that can be combined with current…
