Need of solar energy

To save this world from Global warming and many other hazardous effect we will have to use sustainable source of energy. Though we in india are using many such sources but for light in night we had to use electricity produced by thermal power station. which is producing large amount of carbon dioxide in the environment which is also a green house gas causing global warming. If we minimize the utilization of electricity produced by Thermal power station and we start using Solar energy then we will save our environment to a great extent. In india solar energy is also starting to boom.Our government and many banking sector have invested a lot in this field to develop a better technology in india to produce solar plate at less cost.
It is the need of today's world to look in to it deeply. we need to go by joining hand to hand. Solar energy can be harnessed in many ways.
Energy from the Sun
The Earth's atmosphere receives 174 petawatts of incoming solar radiation at the upper atmosphere.Approximately 30% of solar energy is reflected back to space while the rest is absorbed by clouds, oceans and land masses.The total solar energy absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, oceans and land masses is approximately 3,850,000 exajoules (EJ) per year.
Applications of solar technology

Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive or active depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute sunlight. Active solar techniques use photovoltaic panels, pumps, and fans to convert sunlight into useful outputs. Passive solar techniques include selecting materials with favorable thermal properties, designing spaces that naturally circulate air, and referencing the position of a building to the Sun. Active solar technologies increase the supply of energy and are considered supply side technologies, while passive solar technologies reduce the need for alternate resources and are generally considered demand side technologies.
Architecture and urban planning

Sunlight has influenced building design since the beginning of architectural history.Advanced solar architecture and urban planning methods were first employed by the Greeks and Chinese, who oriented their buildings toward the south to provide light and warmth.Urban heat islands (UHI) are metropolitan areas with higher temperatures than that of the surrounding environment.Asphalt and concrete absorbs more energy from sun. The higher temperatures are a result of increased absorption of the Solar light by urban materials such as asphalt and concrete, which have lower albedo and higher heat capacities than those in the natural environment.
Agriculture and horticulture
Agriculture seeks to optimize the capture of solar energy in order to optimize the productivity of plants. Techniques such as timed planting cycles, tailored row orientation, staggered heights between rows and the mixing of plant varieties can improve crop yields.now vegetables are used in horticulture by making green house. which uses solar energy.
Solar lighting in house and industry
In day time we are getting direct sun light but for night time we use solar plate to store energy provided by sun in day time in charge able battery and we utilize that charge during night to illuminate home, street light, and some railway station and many places. apart from that in day time we use a mirror(big concave)to converge all light to one place and utilize that light energy.
solar thermal
solar technologies can be used for water heating, space heating, space cooling and process heat generation.Solar hot water systems use sunlight to heat water. In low geographical latitudes (below 40 degrees) from 60 to 70% of the domestic hot water use with temperatures up to 60 °C can be provided by solar heating systems during winter season without any extra cost and pollution.In this technology a black box, glass cover, a concave mirror are used to make it and utilize it as solar heater.
solar cooking
box cookers, panel cookers and reflector cookers are the three main category of solar cooker. solar heat can be used to cook the food and also dry some material.
It can be used effectively with partially overcast skies and will typically reach temperatures of 90–150 °C.
apart from all these solar vehicle is also there which uses solar energy to run it. some chemicals are also made by solar energy.