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The capacity of solar power plants will soon reach or even surpass the global capacity of nuclear power plants, according to a new study. The enhanced demand means that solar power plants can become the dominant energy source in the world by 2050.

By the end of 2017, the installed capacity of solar power plants is expected to reach 390 GW, according to Greentech Media estimates. For comparison, the installed capacity of the nuclear power plants is 391.5 GW.

The research shows that for the first time solar and nuclear power will be equal and demand in China can even push photovoltaics far ahead of nuclear capacity by the end of the year.

Solar power plants are projected to reach 871 GW by 2022, double the current nuclear capacity.

Nuclear power still provides 2.5 million GWh per year, while the global capacity of solar power is 0.375 million GWh.

At present, Europe has about 100 GW installed solar capacity, making solar power the sixth largest energy source on the continent after natural gas, wind, coal, water and nuclear power plants.

Despite the rising demand for solar panels, the scientists continue to look for innovative ways to convert the sun’s rays into energy. US researchers, for example, have presented a project by the American Chemical Society, which carries bacteria with small semiconductors, which turns them into live solar panels. This technology works by growing the right organisms in a solution containing cadmium traces. The natural processes of the bacteria make the metal into a sulphide that attaches itself to the outer layer of the cell and acts as a microscopic semiconductor. These enhanced bacteria are then exposed to sunlight to create acetic acid, carbon dioxide and water from the rays. These products can be used as fuel or converted to plastic.