learning about solar

Here's a video that I thought was a good introduction to solar energy and how it might become the worlds leading electrical source

For a long time, solar power has been very much hated from a cost-benefit standpoint but things are starting to turn around for the technology. Around the world, progress is being made to make solar power a viable alternative.

r ranson wrote:Here's a video that I thought was a good introduction to solar energy and how it might become the worlds leading electrical source

I think that solar IS the worlds leading energy source! Positive, actually. At least for all practical reasons/purposes, all usable energy comes from the sun. As an extension, solar is also the LEADING electrical source. It is, right now leading the way to our future ability to sustain modern technological civilisation.

Pv, direct thermal solar, wind energy and hydroelectric power are all driven by incoming solar energy. There is no escaping the solar system, and one of the best nuclear power reactors ever made is a more comfortable, 96 million miles distant!

frank li wrote:

r ranson wrote:Here's a video that I thought was a good introduction to solar energy and how it might become the worlds leading electrical source

I think that solar IS the worlds leading energy source! Positive, actually. At least for all practical reasons/purposes, all usable energy comes from the sun. As an extension, solar is also the LEADING electrical source. It is, right now leading the way to our future ability to sustain modern technological civilisation.

Pv, direct thermal solar, wind energy and hydroelectric power are all driven by incoming solar energy. There is no escaping the solar system, and one of the best nuclear power reactors ever made is a more comfortable, 96 million miles distant!

Oh I agree.  The sun is the biggest source of energy we have.  

I'm looking for beginner material about solar electricity - videos, links, books - that gives enough information to get people to the next step.  There seems to be a lot of technical stuff out there that assumes we already know what is being talked about and there is a lot of extra simple, buy my stuff, but I won't really tell you anything about how it works material.  I would love to find something in between.  It would be great if this thread could become a resource for people wanting to learn about solar panels, solar electrical systems and the like.