Solar Energy; The Real Facts
Most power plants in the United States and all over world are using fossil fuels to operate and generate electricity. Fossil fuel has been used as a...
Most power plants in the United States and all over world are using fossil fuels to operate and generate electricity. Fossil fuel has been used as an energy source as long as man has learned to generate power. Fossil fuel has been around for ages and when man started using this energy sources no one though about the consequences. Fossil fuels will run out and there will be a shortage of it in near future. This shortage in fossil fuel will have its affect on our daily live and various industries. Today we see some of these affects already, fossil fuel prizes are raising and electricity is becoming more expensive. Although fossil fuels are more scares, to need for fossil fuels will still be here and will not decrease in near future. To solve this shortage of fossil fuels we will need to look for other possibilities for our energy demand.
Fortunately, alternative sources of energy are growing in fees. For example, locations with high water falls are experimenting on building a hydro-electric power plant, which turns out to be successful. Other locations with high wind speed employ a power wind mills that will convert wind energy into electricity. Also thermal and tidal powers are good choices.
Solar energy is also one of the sources of energy that’s gaining in fees. Solar power has gradually been growing. Today solar power is employed generally in America and the benefits are common. Our solar electricity source, the sun, its lifespan is guestimated to be another 4.5 bill years. It is right to say this power source is nearly never-ending.
Rate of power from the Sun
The sun’s radiation reaches a certain unit of area in space in the area of the Earth’s orbit and is guestimated to be at 1,400 watts per square meter. Out of this, photovoltaic cells ( also known as solar cells ) can capture nineteen to fifty six watts per square meter ( for 15% potency ) or an equivalent of 0.45 to 1.35 kilo watt an hour ( kWh ) in a yearly night and day average.
Therefore, if there would be more area that’ll be covered by many solar panels, these panels can produce a little more energy in the shape of electricity than what’s now available from oil, gas, and other energy sources mixed ( presuming 8% solar cell potency ).
Conversion of solar power
There are 2 ways of conversion of solar power. First is the direct solar energy which involves only one conversion into a serviceable form. For example :
Sunlight hits the solar cell, changing it into electricity. Sunlight hits the absorber surface of a solar thermal collector, changing into thermal energy which may be employed to heat houses during cold season.
The second is the indirect solar energy which involves more than one conversion to reach a usable form. For instance:
Plants use photosynthesis to transform solar energy to chemical energy, which can be burned later as fuel to generate electricity (also known as bio-fuel technology). Hydroelectric dams and wind turbines are indirectly supplied by solar energy through its interaction with the Earth’s atmosphere.
Pros and Cons of Solar Energy
Just like every other sorts of energy resources, solar power has its bits and bobs.
Pros:
Pollution-free. Solar facilities can be run with little extra input or maintenance. It is abundant. As mentioned earlier, most of the inhabited areas here on Earth can be reached by sunlight.
Cons :
Although it is abounding, non-tropical locations can receive small daylight. Therefore , power that’ll be produced in these locations is a minimum. Only during daytime therefore unavailable during night time. Photovoltaic cell technologies generate direct current ( DC ) power which should be converted to AC ( AC ) power employed in distribution grids.
Once huge development of the utilization of solar power is materialized, expect that each household or industry in the world will now be powered by solar power. It isn’t just a dream, it’ll be a waking dream.
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