The growth of solar energy has accelerated remarkably, with renewables making up 96 percent of new energy demand globally and 93 percent of new energy capacity in the US coming from solar and wind. The world is now installing substantial solar infrastructure rapidly, with one gigawatt being added every 15 hours. Historical context shows that the second terawatt of solar power was achieved in just two years after the first. Improvements in manufacturing and recycling are driving the future sustainability of solar energy.
The world is now installing one gigawatt worth of solar energy infrastructure every 15 hours, about the output of a new coal plant.
It took 68 years to construct a single terawatt of solar power since the invention of the first photovoltaic solar cell, but only two years to hit the second terawatt.
There have been huge developments in panel recycling, potentially addressing the darker side of solar energy, such as mineral extraction and panel fabrication.
Efficiency gains in solar energy output and breakthroughs in manufacturing are fueling the explosive growth of solar energy.
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