There is no question that the cause of solar energy has been advanced during 2009 thanks to a number of significant advances, both in the advancement of available technologies and the increasing practicality of their everyday applications. We have seen technologies such as photovoltaic cells (the black squares that comprise a solar panel) fall in price and become more efficient as a result of improved design specifications that allow them to collect concentrated sunlight on a smaller and smaller area, thereby allowing much more efficient energy transference and usage.

This also means that the cost of production has fallen, resulting in lower prices. As a result, we have seen the cost of producing solar-generated energy fall by over half per watt hour in just a decade and a half. As technological developments and the drive towards energy efficient sources such as solar energy increase, this trend is likely to continue. This is great news-not just for businesses, but also for potential domestic users.

In terms of practicality, the size and design of the cells makes them easy to place on rooftops, thereby allowing an efficient and cheap heating system, hot water production and electricity generating system.

We have also seen the development of such technologies as solar energy collection arrays, which store more solar energy on sunny days and therefore operate just as effectively on inclement days. This is a very useful riposte to solar energy nay-sayers who have previously argued against the voracity of solar energy for just this reason.

The fact that solar energy is become a seriously commercially viable option is underscored by the fact that large corporations are now beginning to use solar energy to provide their energy requirements. Google is in the process of installing a 1.6 megawatt solar energy production plant on the roof of its corporate headquarters, and Wal Mart is working on similar plans.

National governments are also getting in on the act where solar energy is concerned, and the governments in Japan, Switzerland, the US and Germany are providing tax breaks and financing initiatives to individuals and companies that choose to use solar energy to generate their electrical power and/or heat. With the aforementioned falling cost of production and improvement is technologies, it is certain that private companies and investors will recognize the sense in investing in clean solar energy, which will only serve to further its advancement on all levels.

Other technological advancements include enhancements and improvements in organic solar cells, including a prototype device that utilities solar energy in order to convert carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide. By doing so, it helps to generate hydrogen fuel and gives rise to the potential to print solar cells.

Although solar energy still only accounts for a small proportion of the globe’s grid-based electricity supplies, it is increasing rapidly. Indeed, the solar power energy industry has grown six-fold since the year 2000, and with more advances happening regularly, this figure is certain to increase in the years to come.