For centuries humanity has dreamed of harnessing the power of the sun: Imagining Solar Energy traces the history of these dreams as they have been expressed in literature, art and popular culture from the Renaissance to the present day. From John Milton through the Romantic-period writers such as Shelley and Goethe to the golden age science fiction of Isaac Asimov and contemporary writers such as Ian McEwan, the book shows how the possibilities of solar energy have captured the imagination of writers and artists and in turn shaped developments in science, culture and technology.