Life on earth is fueled by the light and heat from the sun. The total amount of solar energy that strikes the earth is about 3850 zettajoules (ZJ) per year. Though the frequency range is different, the suns energy travels via electromagnetic radiation similar to that of radio waves. Much of this solar energy will be absorbed by the air, mostly turned into heat and light. Solar energy has many advantages over conventional energy. The energy from the sun is free the only expense is from recovering the energy. Recently solar photovoltaic technology is on the rise.
You will recover the cost of a solar power system faster than you will recover the expense of conventional power. The recovering units don’t have to be connected to natural gas or power grids, they stand alone. There is an umlimited supply of solar energy and there are no gases emitted to hurt the earth or its atmosphere. There are several ways to recover solar energy: Focusing collectors: It has an adjustable mirror called a heliostats that is aimed at the sun and can put out a temperature of about 4000 C. This degree temperature is used for a solar furnace in industries and research. These solar furnaces don’t contaminate our environment.
The heliostats can focus the energy to a boiler that turns water into steam. To generate power from solar energy, focusing collectors can be used.
Flat plate collectors: These solar panel products can be used in schools and homes to provide heat using water that is heated in pipes. They cannot provide as much heat as the focusing collectors because they are smaller. Solar distillation: Solar distillation units are similar to flat plate collectors; however, distillation units provide water instead of heat for power generation and home heating.
Sea water is put in tanks or ditches on the roof of a house and the heat from the sun heats and evaporates the water and turns the water vapor into liquid water that is distilled. Solar electricity: The use of focusing collectors and photovoltaic cells, made with thin pieces of semiconductors can make radiation form the sun into electricity. Since it doesn’t cost anything and doesn’t harm the environment, solar energy is not impacted by the supply and demand for fuel. It would provide us with better health.It is natural and pure. There are several ways that we can work together in order to get the best of natural and renewable resources.
Going with solar energy is motivational to others who want to make a difference. The expenses to using the solar energy are less than the cost of using other resources for heat, including electricity and gas. When you use electricity and gas you may have a low cost up front but in the end you end up paying for it from now on. With solar power you may have an initial investment to turning your home into solar power but after that you have no reason to pay for it any further, unless you use electric or gas for a back up heating source. Solar power was available yesterday, it’s available today and hopefully it will be available for us in the future.