Isn’t solar energy clean and abundant?
Yes and yes. The solar energy intercepted by the earth in a year is more than four orders of magnitude greater than annual fossil fuel production. Solar energy is a low-polluting and low-carbon source of energy. However solar also is intermittent, has a low power density compared to thermal power generation, often is scare near major load centers, and has a low energy return on investment (EROI). For these reasons, large scale solar power generation is not cost-competitive. Some solar thermal technologies, such as passive solar heating, are practical right now.
