Solar Overload: Are We Ready for a World Powered by the Sun
- Deven Kancherla
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Most people associate solar power with rooftops and renewable energy on Earth, but its first use was actually in space. In 1958, the satellite Vanguard I became the first spacecraft powered by solar. It wasn't just practical, it was necessary as traditional batteries were too heavy and didn't live as long as they needed to. The success of solar power in orbit made its way to develop on Earth, eventually becoming a clean energy solution.
Contributing around 6.5% to global energy consumption, solar is rapidly becoming a mainstream power source reshaping the global energy landscape. With more installations and accelerating investment, solar is now one of the fastest scaling technologies in the global energy mix. It's driving major changes in how we generate, store, and distribute electricity worldwide.
Solar delivers some of the cheapest electricity ever recorded. Nations like China, the U.S. and India are building large solar farms faster than ever while rooftop solar is becoming more popular in places like Europe and Australia. Solar energy is also saving data centers 15-30% on their energy bills which can equivalate to saving millions of dollars.
Deven's Reflections:
Most panels have a life of about 25-30 years which means the first generation is near the end of their use. It's an opportunity to create a solar recycling process to recover silicon, silver, other rare metals and possibly reuse the panel as a whole. Solar isn't just a piece of the energy puzzle, it's becoming a centerpiece. To make a solar future sustainable, we need smart solutions not just for generating power, but for managing and reusing the materials that make it possible.
Watch this video to learn how solar panels work: