Clean, silent, renewable and climate-friendly...solar power is the holy grail of energy. And there's no shortage of sunlight out there: enough falls on the surface of the planet each day to power human society many thousands of times over. Edited by a leading solar expert, "The Solar Century" provides a groundbreaking vision of a sun-powered world. The first definitive book on the subject, it covers everything from how ancient societies viewed the sun through to present-day panels thin enough to be delivered 'by the roll'. Presented in stunning full-color throughout, "The Solar Century" showcases solar applications from the household scale through to great public architecture; from solar as a force for good in developing countries through to giant mirror-based solar thermal stations that could be positioned in deserts and hooked up to electricity grids thousands of miles away with DC cables. The book also debunks many myths about solar - such as the idea that it and other renewable energies will always need fossil-fuel stations on standby. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in science, energy and the future of our planet.