The global impact of affordable solar energy

Solar power has seen incredible growth in recent years and is now the world’s fastest-growing source of energy. Currently providing 6% of the world’s electricity, it is projected to become the planet’s single biggest source of electricity by the mid-2030s. A decade later, it may even become the largest source of energy overall. The availability of cheap and abundant solar power is expected to drive down the cost of many other things as well.

The rise of solar energy has raised questions about how this technology got to this point and what its implications are for the future of the world. Additionally, people are wondering where solar power technology will go next. Could we eventually collect unlimited energy from the Sun, even from space?

In a podcast hosted by Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor, various experts share their insights on the future of solar power. Contributors to the discussion include Jenny Chase of BloombergNEF, Ali Hajimiri of Caltech, Sam Adlen of Space Solar, and The Economist’s Hal Hodson and John McDermott. The podcast explores the impact of solar power on global politics, business, science, and technology.

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