Contents I. Introduction
As the sources of conventional energy are dwindling fast with a corresponding rise in cost, considerable attention is being paid to other alternative energy sources. Solar energy which is free and abundant in most parts of the world has proven to be a challenging source of energy in many developing and developed countries. Solar PV technology which converts solar energy into electrical power has not found much favour because of its cost of installation. There has been, however a lot of research effort in recent years towards economic generation of PV power for houses, intermediate-size industrial installations and the construction of large central power stations. One application area where PV energy has been established is, in space applications where cost is secondary consideration.
