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Solar

The Nasu-Minami Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant located on a former golf course in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.

Credit: Jaime Stilling

Solar

Call to action:

Rapidly expand the use of solar energy as the primary source of electricity and heating.

Solar is key to phasing out fossil fuels and accelerating the electrification of everything. It can be our primary source of heating and electricity(link is external). There are two basic types of solar technology: solar thermal(link is external), which captures the sun’s heat for both electricity and heating, and photovoltaic(link is external) (PV), which converts sunlight into electricity. Solar technology’s costs have fallen steeply in recent years while efficiency has risen(link is external). Solar employs millions of people and provides clean energy around the world, from steel mills(link is external) to solar farms, to households in big cities and remote villages(link is external). Accelerating its solar share from its current 3 percent of global electricity production(link is external) will require adoption at every level, including households, offices, schools, corporations, institutions, and governments.

Nexus Rating SystemBeta

Solutions to the climate emergency have unique social and environmental effects, positive and negative. To develop a broader understanding of the solutions in Nexus, we rate each solution on five criteria.

Sources for each Nexus are graded numerically (-3 through 10), and the average is displayed as a letter grade. You can explore each source in depth by clicking “view sources” below. For more information, see our Nexus Ratings page.

Solar
7.93
8.30
0.00
2.90
8.25

Solar

Culture
A-
Women
N/R
Biodiversity
C-
Carbon
A-
Reference Social Justice Culture Women Biodiversity Carbon
Solar Energy Moves Indigenous Communities Toward a Renewable Future(link is external) 9.0 9.0
How solar panels are changing lives for the better in Malis rural areas (rfi.fr)(link is external) 9.0
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/energy-equity/power-by-the-people-native-energy-sovereignty(link is external) 8.0 9.0
The Solar Industry Is Creating Jobs 17 Times Faster Than the Rest of the U.S. Economy (futurism.com)(link is external) 8.0
The Wave of Change: Women Solar and an Evolving Industry SEIA(link is external) 5.0
Towards improved solar energy justice: Exploring the complex inequities of household adoption of photovoltaic panels - ScienceDirect(link is external) 7.0
Sustainable Energy for All: Empowering Women United Nations(link is external)
Why energy justice is a rising priority for policymakers MIT Sloan(link is external) 7.0
In South Sudan off-grid communities turn to solar power for clean water UNICEF(link is external) 9.0 8.0
REWI-Solar-Energy-Wildlife-Interactions-Summary-2023.pdf(link is external) 1.0
Mitigating biodiversity impacts associated with solar and wind energy development - resource IUCN(link is external) 1.0
Solar farms are often bad for biodiversity but they dont have to be(link is external) 1.0
The Planet Needs Solar Power. Can We Build It Without Harming Nature?(link is external) 2.0
Native Americans are building their own solar farms(link is external) 9.0 9.0
First Nations people must be at the forefront of Australias renewable energy revolution(link is external) 7.0 7.0
How Solar Panels are supporting care in Indigenous Communities In Peru(link is external) 8.0 8.0
In Search of Funding Tribal Communities Are Turning to Corporate Investment to Embrace Solar Power(link is external) 7.0 7.0
Solar Impacts on Wildlife and Ecosystems(link is external) 1.0
Evaluating potential effects of solar power facilities on wildlife from an animal behavior perspective(link is external) 0.0
Indigenous communities harness environmental economic benefits of solar boom(link is external) 9.0 9.0
If you build it they will come: How habitat-friendly solar energy can synergize with biodiversity conservation(link is external) 6.0
Best Practices in Responsible Land Use for Improving Biodiversity at a Utility-Scale Solar Facility(link is external) 2.0
A Solar Project to Restore Prairie and Pollinators(link is external) 8.0 8.0
Indigenous communities turning away from dirty forms of energy toward solar(link is external) 9.0 9.0
Biodiversity impacts associated to solar power projects(link is external) 7.0
Concentrated Solar Power - Project Drawdown(link is external) 7.0
Distributed Solar Photovoltaics - Project Drawdown(link is external) 8.0
Deploying solar photovoltaic energy first in carbon-intensive regions brings gigatons more carbon mitigations to 2060(link is external) 9.0
The Promise Of Solar Energy: A Low-Carbon Energy Strategy For The 21st Century(link is external) 9.0
7.9 8.3 0.0 2.9 8.3

Action Items

Individuals

Learn why solar can become the primary source of energy. In 2020, solar became the least expensive form of electricity(link is external) in most of the world. There have been major advances(link is external) in cell and panel efficiency. Average commercial solar panels today perform at 20 percent efficiency, up from 12 percent(link is external) just a decade ago. Solar thermal is used in rooftop solar water heaters(link is external) and massive power plants(link is external) located in remote areas(link is external). Solar PV generates electricity worldwide through community(link is external), residential(link is external), commercial(link is external), and (link is external)utility-scale(link is external) projects, both on land(link is external) and on water(link is external).

Join, start, or support a community solar project. Sometimes called solar gardens, a community solar project(link is external) is a large, central solar power plant whose electricity is shared across properties. Participants can choose(link is external) between shared ownership or a subscription to an offsite solar array and typically receive an electric bill credit(link is external) generated by their share of the community solar system.

Install Do-It-Yourself solar. If you live in a remote area or somewhere without professional installation options or are looking to power small spaces (such as sheds, vans, and tiny homes), DIY solar could be a good option.

Advocate for solar where you live, work, and study. Here are a few examples and resources to get started:

Groups

Homeowners

Install solar PV panels at home. Solar panels can save (and make) money(link is external) and increase home resale value(link is external). Your path to installing solar will differ based on your location. Research local manufacturers, installers, licensers, and incentives for your area. Here are some common first steps:

Install a solar water heater. There are three primary types(link is external) of solar water heaters to consider. Two are active, absorbing the sun’s warmth via rooftop collectors and transferring its heat directly to your household water. The other is passive, using heat pumps(link is external) to pull solar heat out of the air(link is external) to increase your water temperature (see Heat Pumps Nexus).

Recycle old solar panels (and advocate for recycling programs). PV panels typically last for twenty-five to thirty years(link is external). They could create as much as 80 million tons(link is external) of waste(link is external) by 2050. Instead, we could recycle materials worth $2 billion(link is external) from panels as they are retired. While panel recycling programs are not common(link is external), they are on the rise. Look for local recycling and reuse options. Background information(link is external) on recycling solar is provided by the EPA. See Governance below to learn about the regulations needed to establish recycling worldwide.

Designers and Engineers

Develop new ways to use solar PV and thermal energy. Creativity and innovation are critical to expanding solar adoption. In addition to technological advances, building diverse teams, such as this residency(link is external) with craftswomen from Mozambique and designers from the Netherlands, is essential to meet culturally specific needs. Here are examples:

Donors and Investors

Fund solar projects in underserved communities. Renewable electricity is needed for the 840 million people(link is external) worldwide who don’t have access. Many countries are being left behind in the global renewable energy push and more efforts are required to address this inequality(link is external). Here is a report from the Rockefeller Foundation on how to end energy poverty(link is external).

Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Landowners

Build a solar PV farm on your property for extra income. Leasing land for use as a solar farm can offer a source of stable income(link is external) from your land while helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Power your farm or ranch with solar energy. As costs of solar technology fall and efficiency rises, more agricultural enterprises are converting to renewable sources(link is external) to power their day-to-day operations. The U.S. Energy Department’s Farmer’s Guide to Going Solar(link is external) can help you get started.

Integrate agrivoltaic systems in your operations. Agrivoltaics(link is external) is a farming method that integrates solar power generation and food production(link is external). Here are examples and resources to get started:

Indigenous Communities

Install solar PV and thermal to foster energy independence. Indigenous groups are leveraging solar power to disengage from historically exploitative(link is external) energy generation systems. These efforts are creating jobs for Indigenous youth, building resilience to climate-related outages, and creating revenue.

City and State Officials

Integrate PV and thermal solar into operations and public spaces. Local governments around the world are switching to solar, saving money, and building community(link is external) in the process. The U.S. Energy Department’s Local Government Guide for Solar Deployment(link is external) can help you get started. SolSmart has a toolkit(link is external) that provides perspective from the commercial solar sector.

Companies

Power operations with solar. Commercial PV solar(link is external)—which refers to a range of projects, from small businesses to hospitals—can amplify the benefits of solar on a larger scale than residential projects.

Provide solar energy resources as a benefit for employees. Particularly in the age of remote work, solar discounts(link is external) have become an employee benefit(link is external). Companies can also offer solar education lunch-and-learns(link is external).

Governance

Pass legislation that accelerates solar expansion. Here is an overview of federal and state policies(link is external) affecting solar energy development in the U.S. The United Nations has a Plan of Action(link is external) to accelerate clean energy around the world. While effective policies will vary across contexts, here are a few key recommendations:

Fund PV and thermal solar research, implementation, and workforce development. Invest in expanding the solar workforce through retraining programs(link is external) for fossil fuel workers(link is external) and military veterans(link is external). Center diversity(link is external) as part of workforce expansion. Governments can finance the advancement of up-and-coming(link is external) solar technologies. Solar Villages Initiatives Act(link is external) gives microenterprise assistance for renewable energy projects in developing countries.

Regulate solar building and recycling. Solar hardware manufacturing(link is external) and recycling(link is external) require better regulation to protect the environment(link is external) and human rights. Implement protections for workers and consider having producers finance the takeback and recycling of solar panels, as the E.U. has done(link is external).

Learn

Read

PV Magazine(link is external) launched for the U.S. solar photovoltaics (PV) community in July 2016, focusing on developments in both business and technology.

Three Myths About Renewable Energy and the Grid, Debunked(link is external)” by Armory B. Lovins and M. V. Ramana / Yale Environment 360

Renewables 101: Integrating Renewable Energy Resources into the Grid(link is external)” by Kathryne Cleary and Karen Palmer / Resources for the Future

Listen

Watts Up Podcast(link is external) by Nelnet Renewable Energy

Sheep + Solar, A Love Story(link is external) by How to Save a Planet Podcast (31 mins.)

Solar Thermal: All Night Long(link is external) by Switched On Podcast / Bloomberg (18 mins.)

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