(1) The light heat electricity conversion method utilizes the thermal energy generated by solar radiation to generate electricity. Generally, the absorbed thermal energy is converted into working fluid steam by a solar collector, which then drives a steam turbine to generate electricity. The previous process is the light heat conversion process; The latter process is the thermal electrical conversion process, similar to ordinary thermal power generation The disadvantage of solar thermal power generation is its low efficiency and high cost. It is estimated that its investment is at least 5-10 times more expensive than ordinary thermal power plants. A 1000MW solar thermal power plant requires an investment of 2-2.5 billion US dollars, with an average investment of 2000-2500 US dollars per kW. Therefore, at present, it can only be applied on a small scale to special occasions, while large-scale utilization is economically uneconomical and cannot compete with ordinary thermal or nuclear power plants.

(2) The direct conversion method of light to electricity utilizes the photoelectric effect to directly convert solar radiation energy into electrical energy. The basic device for light to electricity conversion is solar cells. A solar cell is a device that directly converts solar energy into electrical energy due to the photovoltaic effect. It is a semiconductor photodiode that, when sunlight shines on the photodiode, converts the solar energy into electrical energy and generates current. When many batteries are connected in series or parallel, they can become a solar cell array with relatively high output power. Solar cells are a promising new type of power source with three major advantages: permanence, cleanliness, and flexibility Solar cells have a long lifespan, and as long as the sun exists, they can be invested in once and used for a long time; Compared with thermal power generation and nuclear power generation, solar cells do not cause environmental pollution; Solar cells can be developed in both large and small sizes, ranging from medium-sized power plants with a capacity of one million kilowatts to solar cell packs that only serve one household. This is unparalleled by other power sources.