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Facts and Figures about Solar Energy
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Most of the power plants that are operating not only in the United States but also around the world currently use non-renewable energy such as fossil fuels as its power source. The use of such energy source has been present since man learned how to generate power from Earth’s resources.
However, since it is a non-renewable energy source, there will come a time that fossil fuel resources will run out especially every year the demand for power supply is increasing variably. Thus, it can result to massive power shortage. Operations of different industries such as manufacturing, production, business, and others will be affected.
Just think of an environment with no electricity at all. It is just like living back on a primitive era.
Fortunately, energy sectors with its specialists together with the government are finding other means of power production using renewable sources. For instance, 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 make use of a power wind mills that can convert wind power into electricity. Thermal and tidal powers are good alternatives.
One of the viable sources of energy that is widely used in the United States is the solar energy, or the energy derived from the light of the sun. What makes it a practical alternative is that every place in the world can be reached by sunlight. In addition, it seems to be limitless—the sun’s remaining life span is estimated to be 4.5 billion years.
Rate of Energy from the Sun
The rate at which the sun’s radiation reaches a certain unit of area in space in the region of the Earth’s orbit is estimated to be at 1,400 watts per square meter. Out of this, photovoltaic cells (also known as solar cells) can capture 19 to 56 watts per square meter (for 15% efficiency) or an equivalent of 0.45 to 1.35 kilowatt per hour (kWh) in an annual day and night average.
Therefore, if there would be more area that will be covered by several solar panels, these panels can produce slightly more energy in the form of electricity than what is currently available from oil, gas, and other sources of energy combined (assuming 8% solar cell efficiency).
Conversion of Solar Energy
There are two ways of conversion of solar energy. First is the direct solar energy which involves only one conversion into a usable form. For instance:
• Sunlight hits the solar cell, converting it into electricity.
• Sunlight hits the absorber surface of a solar thermal collector, converting into thermal energy which can be used to heat homes 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.
Ins and Outs of Solar Energy
Just like any other types of energy resources, solar energy has its ins and outs.
Ins:
• 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.
Outs:
• Although it is abundant, non-tropical locations can receive little sunlight. Thus, power that will be produced in these locations is minimum.
• Not available during night time.
• Photovoltaic cell technologies generate direct current (DC) power which needs to be converted to alternating current (AC) power used in distribution grids.
Once massive development of the use of solar energy is materialized, expect that every household or industry in the world will now be powered by solar energy. It is not just a dream, it will be a dream come true.
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