Solar energy simplified
The sun produces huge amounts of energy. But what the earth gets is a pretty small share of that energy. However, even if we get only a miniscule amount, the energy we receive from the sun is more than enough for our needs. Believe it or not, a day’s worth of sunlight when harnessed properly can power a big country like the US for more than a year.
So if that’s how much energy we can get from the sun, why do we rely too much on fossil fuels which will disappear in 40 to 50 years time? The main problem is that the sun shines all throughout the world. That energy is so spread out that harnessing it is really a challenge. But still, there are other factors at work here, political, economical, and even cultural in nature which contributes to the slow progress of solar technologies. But that will need a whole chapter, nay, a whole book to discuss so let’s leave that alone for a moment.
There are various ways how we harness sunlight and the specific way may depend on how we plan to use that energy. But we can divide the usage into two general concepts, converting solar power into heat and the other one is converting it into electricity.
Using solar power to heat homes is a pretty good example of the first category. There are two ways that can be used, the first one relies on the positioning of the house’s windows and the second one involves the use of some mechanical devices to distribute the heat throughout the house.
Solar water heaters are also now available. What you do is provide a solar collector where the heat from the sun is trapped and collected. That heat is then transferred to the after that goes out of your faucets and showers.
Converting solar power into electricity, however, needs a little bit more explanation. There are basically two ways we can get electricity out of solar power. The first one involves the use of photovoltaic cells and the second one is using various solar thermal systems.
Photovoltaic cells are more commonly known as solar cells. These cells are made from silicon wafers and phosphorous. When sunlight strikes the surface of the silicon wafers, free electrons are produced. The electrons are then harnessed via attaching a wire to the cells. As the electrons leave the cells and pass through the wire, an electronic current is produced.
One major flaw of the photovoltaic cells is that they can be quite expensive plus they only convert a small amount of sunlight. Hopefully these cells can be cheaper, more efficient and more suitable to the needs of consumers in the future.
The great thing about solar energy is that it does not produce any kinds of pollution unlike fossil fuels which spit out substantive amounts of pollutants in the air and even in the water. Plus the sun is pretty much in good health ad it is still very far from dying. We can utilize more than enough energy from the sun that will last us for a lifetime.
Menu
Articles
The Pros And Cons Of Solar EnergyCountries On The Helm Of Solar Energy Technology
The Future Of Solar Energy – How It Looks And How It Affects Nature
The Benefits Of Solar Energy
You Need A PV System To Generate Solar Energy
Using Solar Energy Goes Way Back
You Can Have A Home Powered By Solar Energy
How Does Solar Energy Work
The Future Of Solar Energy On Transportation
Facts About Solar Energy – Some Things To Ponder And Why
The Downsides Of Solar Energy
Analyzing The Benefits Of Solar Energy
Net Metering And Solar Energy
Arguments Against Solar Energy
Solar Energy In Households
Solar Energy Simplified
Wind Power Vs. Solar Energy, An Even Match?
Solar Energy Is The Future
Technologies For Harnessing Solar Energy
How To Conserve Solar Energy Through Your Little Ways
Things You Should Know Before Investing In Solar Energy
The History Of Solar Energy
Solar Energy - How Does It Benefit The Agricultural Sector
Articles The History Of Solar Energy Solar energy is for everyone simply because the sun shines in.. The Downsides Of Solar Energy Not that I’m against using solar energy or anything but.. Arguments Against Solar Energy Between you and me, we know that solar energy is a good.. The Pros And Cons Of Solar Energy Solar energy is one of the best forms of renewable energy. But why don’t we.. |
|
|
Related News:
|