Himalayas may be the new Saudi Arabia of solar energy

Washington, Oct 13 (ANI): Some of the world's coldest landscapes-including the Himalaya Mountains, the Andes, and even Antarctica-could become new Saudi Arabias of solar energy, a new study has suggested.

Kotaro Kawajiri and his colleagues, point out that may cold regions at high elevations receive so much sunlight their potential for producing power from the sun is higher than some desert areas.

The researchers used one established technique to estimate global solar energy potential using the data that are available. It takes into account the effects of temperature on the output of solar cells.

They found, for instance, that the Himalayas, which include Mt. Everest, could be an ideal locale for solar fields that generate electricity for the fast-expanding economy of the People's Republic of China.

The study has been published in the ACS journal Environmental Science and Technology. (ANI)