Solar

Solar power is poised to grow into a reliable alternative energy source, promising lower carbon emissions and decreased dependence on fossil fuels. What technologies are currently jostling for leadership in the market?

SEPTEMBER 2009 McKinsey Quarterly Source: Climate Change Special Initiative

Solar power is gaining ground as a viable, low-carbon alternative to traditional energy sources. A number of technologies are competing to be the lowest-cost and the most efficient choice: photovoltaics (including silicon-wafer based and thin film) and concentrated solar thermal (CST) power both have advantages and disadvantages depending on the application; other technologies are still in the nascent stages of development. The economics of the solar-power market will likely improve, McKinsey analysis shows, benefiting from ongoing innovations and cost reductions.

More at: http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Energy_Resources_Materials/Electric_Power/Evaluating_the_potential_of_solar_technologies_2426