Well, the history of solar power is a varied and colourful one.

Solar photovoltaic energy - or solar PV for short - is a solar power technology that uses solar panels to convert light from the sun directly into electricity.

Grid-connected Solar photovoltaic energy has had a massive growth since 1990's in the more developed countries of the world.

Photovoltaic cost analysis

Over the last 20 years the price of PV solar panels have fallen dramatically, from around £15 per Wp in 1980 to current prices of around £3.50 per Wp.

That means that a single module, typically generating 60W of power under standard test conditions, now costs around £200.

Solar Photovoltaic energy is still a more expensive technology than most other forms of renewable energy, but it has many advantages over other systems. Plus, there are ways of installing solar panels yourself to bring the costs way down such as installing it yourself. Click here for more details.

Doesn't PV technology need bright sunshine to work properly?

The electrical output of PV solar panels is dependent upon the intensity of the light to which it is exposed. So PV cells will tend to generate more electricity on bright days than when skies are overcast.

However, photovoltaics do not need to be in direct sunlight to work, so even on overcast days PV solar panels will be generating some electricity.

Is PV suitable for use in cooler climates, for example, the UK?

In the UK, we get 60% of the sunlight received at the equator - so there is still a lot of potential solar photovoltaic energy available! PV has been used in the UK over the last 20 years or more for many applications, particularly in remote areas where grid connection is impractical, such as weather monitoring stations, marine navigation aids, etc.

A modest sized domestic grid connect system will provide a substantial portion of a households electricity needs for over 6 months of the year and installations on commercial buildings are particularly suitable, meeting the daytime demands of an office. Over 1.5 MW of building integrated PV is already installed in the UK.

But if that is too much for you, then you can always do your bit with a small solar power battery charger to power up your gadgets like your ipod or mobile phone. Or you could DIY a system for next-to-nothing if you have the skills. For more information click here.

And did you know that you can connect your solar panels to the grid?

Yes, with electricity prices at an all time high and rising all the time, solar panels will make you never be beholden to the power companies.

You will need to use a solar power inverter. If you wish to get paid for the electricity you produce, you will need to ensure a G83-certified inverter is used.

However, many people use non-G83 certified inverters, and simply do not bother with an export account. In many cases the household will always be consuming more electricty than that being fed into the grid, therefore, the net effect is zero export.

Useful resources

Learn about the history of solar energy.

Get the solar power facts.

For more information go to our FAQ section for solar photovoltaic energy

Find out what solar pv developments are going on in Ireland, USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Check out the solar pv financing section here for more information.

Or alternatively, go to our loans section.

And you can also claim solar energy grants to help with the cost.

Click here for technical information on how solar power works

Click on diy solar heating for information on solar water heating.

Click on our solar power gadgets for great gift ideas.

What are solar power cells?