Cheaper, changing and crucial: the rise of solar power

This aerial photo taken on August 4, 2022 shows solar panels built over a sewage treatment plant, as the plant uses photovoltaic power to partly replace coal power, in Zhengzhou, in China’s central Henan province. Experts say solar will be among a mix of energy options, with different technologies more suitable for different places. — AFP

PARIS: Generating power from sunlight bouncing off the ground, working at night, even helping to grow strawberries: solar panel technology is evolving fast as costs plummet for a key segment of the world’s energy transition.

The International Energy Agency says solar will have to scale up significantly this decade to meet the Paris climate target of limiting temperature rises to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.