solar energy
Solar Energy
January 4, 2012 | 
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Solar energy is receiving more and more attention these days. With so many people looking to go green, solar power has become an important issue. However, the fact of the matter is that the sun has been producing energy for billions of years. Humans have only recently begun to understand how to harness the rays of the sun that make it to the earth and convert them into energy. Since ancient times, people have been using sunlight to cultivate crops and building their homes in alignment with the sun to get more heat and light. In modern times, people have learned how to convert solar energy into other types of energy like heat and electricity.
There is certainly a lot of potential to develop this technology. Currently, most people are using solar energy by converting is into thermal energy or electricity. Thermal energy is used for heating purposes. We can use solar panels to heat water for homes, offices, and other suitable settings. For example, some people have a water tank hooked up to a solar panel on their roof. This system heats up water for warm showers and doing the dishes. It is a renewable source of heat that will help you save on your utility bill. Another common use of thermal energy is heating spaces like greenhouses, homes, and office buildings. Imagine being able to grow crops all year with a naturally warm greenhouse. Think of not having to pay high gas bills in the winter because of solar energy. These are just some of the benefits.
There are two ways to convert solar energy into electricity. First, you can use solar cells to convert sunlight directly into electricity. For instance, solar cells are used to power lighted road signs, watches, and street lamps. Other applications exist, but these are some of the more common ones in practice right now. We can also convert solar energy intro electricity indirectly in a solar power plant. The energy from the sun is used to heat up a fluid which produces steam. That steam is then utilized in a power generator. Steam power has been around for a while, so this is an interesting combination of two types of renewable energy.
Of course, there are a few disadvantages with solar energy. The amount of sunlight that the earth receives is not always constant. The level of solar power can depend on the weather sometimes. Also, because the sun’s rays do not give off that much energy in any one single spot, it is necessary to use a very big surface area to collect enough energy to be used on a larger scale. This technology will come in time, but for now there are still many practical uses of free solar energy.
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What is Solar Energy?
The most precise Solar Energy definition is simply:
Energy from the sun.
But what is solar energy really? There are two types of solar energy:
Thermal Energy & Electric Energy
Thermal Energy
Thermal Energy is everywhere. It’s lights up our days. It heats the earth, our bodies and our homes. It dries our clothes and gives us produce like sun-dried tomatoes. All for free!
It’s also used to heat water for domestic use or even pools. There are two ways in which water can be heated:
1. Actively, when a conventional heating element within the solar hot water system heats water on hot days.
2. Passively, when water is preheated before it is delivered to the cold inlet of a conventional gas/ electric water heater.
Electric Energy
Electric Energy uses the power of the sun to produce electricity through solar cells, otherwise known as photovoltaics (PV). It can be applied in three ways:
1. Stand-alone
2. Grid-connected
3. Back-up
Stand-alone: also called Solar Home System (SHS):
A system not connected to the grid. More often than not, these systems are installed in remote areas where there is no utility-supplied power, like remote holiday cottages.
It is often cheaper to install a solar energy system than lay electricity cables to the site. Excess energy can be stored in a battery for use during times where there is no sunshine.
Grid-connected:
A system where utility supplied electricity is connected to the property, but the owners wish to harvest clean, free energy from the sun. Usually in a quest to live a more sustainable, environmentally friendly existence.
Electricity is supplied firstly from the solar energy system, then the connected battery if one has been installed and finally from the grid if there is still a need.
Back-up:
A system connected to an unreliable grid or one of poor quality. These types are usually installed in areas where a lot of power blackouts occur. A small system will service the most important electrical appliances and lights, but a bigger system will be required to keep the fridge running during a blackout.
So, what is solar energy used for then?
1. To provide heating
2. To provide electricity
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Solar Energy – Advantages and Disadvantages
Solar energy is one of the great hopes of our current, energy-thirsty age. Everyone is aware that we need alternatives to non-renewable energy resources like coal, oil and natural gas. These non-renewable energy resources are readily available and easy to use, but they are also the cause of pollution and global warming. And, many believe that use of these energy resources can lead to political instability by causing some nations to depend too heavily for energy on other nations.
Fortunately, there are alternatives to fossil fuels for powering our world, with solar energy being one of the most promising. One attractive quality of solar energy systems is that ordinary homeowners can build and use their own systems.
Solar Energy: Advantages and Disadvantages
No energy resource is perfect, however. Before you rush out and build your own solar panels, be sure to understand their advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages of solar electricity include:
1. Once you have built your solar panels, the ongoing energy you get from your panels each is 100% free
2. Your utility company can buy your excess energy from you using a process call net-metering
3. Using solar energy at the local level means you are not dependent upon the power grid; you can avoid regional blackouts (e.g., during lightning storms) and you stop writing those monthly checks to the power company
4. Your home energy use is no longer contributing to fossil-fuel-based pollution and global warming
The disadvantages of solar electricity include:
1. There is an initial cost of building a solar panel system for your home
2. Solar panels require a large area for installation
3. Solar power is not collected at night or when it is cloudy; however, with a battery system in place, you can use your collected energy during these down times
Investing in solar energy now can help save you money down the road. And, you will enjoy the peace of mind that comes from not having to rely on the local power grid for your energy and not contributing to global warming through your home energy use.