Wednesday 26 May 2010

What is solar energy?

Today, as environmental awareness and oil prices skyrocket, the potential of solar energy technologies that directly harness the energy of the sun is increasingly desirable and economically feasible. Every year the Earth receives energy in abundance. Some energy is absorbed by green plants and used to make food by photosynthesis. So, ultimately, the Sun is the source of most energy resources available to us. There are three categories that define every type of solar energy technology.
First, the heat and light that is collected is used in its original form of heat or light such as in a greenhouse. Passive collection is much easier to include in new construction because retrofitting an existing building can be difficult and costly. Active solar collection implies converting solar energy to a more usable form of heat or electricity.
A second consists of heat collection and heat-driven mechanisms, such as converting water to steam to power a steam engine that generates electricity. Electric processes use photovoltaic cells that create a moving electric charge that produces a direct electric current.
Finally, a third distinction in solar energy concerns the degree of concentration used in harnessing the suns energy. Concentrating systems engage mirrors and lenses to direct the sunlight to the area of collection.
Some Advantages of solar energy are:
•Solar energy is a renewable resource. Although it cannot be utilized at night or on cloudy days, its availability may be generally relied upon day after day. The solar energy supply will last as long as the sun.
•Oil, on the other hand, is not renewable. It takes millions of years to form. Currently, oil reserves are being depleted at a rate much quicker than more would take to develop.
•Solar energy is non-polluting. Of all the advantages of solar energy over oil, this is perhaps the most important. The burning of oil releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air. In addition to this, the process of obtaining it may result in damaged ecosystems through dredging or spills.
•Solar cells are long-lasting and require very little maintenance
• Although solar panels and their accessories (solar lights, etc.) may be expensive to buy at the onset, money is saved in the long run. This is because energy from the sun is widely available and free. Today rising oil prices are a major frustration on many government as well as individual levels.
•Solar powered lights and other solar powered products are very easy to install. This is because there are few wiring issues and little need to ever dig supporting trenches.
The many advantages of solar energy range from benefiting your pocketbook to benefiting the environment. In contrast, few features could be considered disadvantages. These include the current costliness of solar cells, as well as the fact that solar power cannot be created at night or on darkened days.

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