Solar Energy Meaning
Solar radiation from the sun that is capable of producing heat, causing a chemical reaction, and producing electricity is called Solar Energy. It is the most powerful and vast source of Energy. The total Solar Energy incident on the earth's surface is enormously greater than the world's current and future Energy requirements. It has the potential to satisfy all future Energy needs if it is properly harnessed. Therefore, Solar Energy is used to generate electricity in the present day. Solar Energy is expected to be the most attractive renewable Energy source. Solar Energy has an inexhaustible supply and it is non-polluting as in the non-renewable sources like coal, natural gas, and petroleum.
Formation of Solar Energy
There is a particular process of producing electricity from Solar Energy. To generate Solar electricity, photovoltaic cells are used. When light strikes on these cells, they generate a small electric voltage. The photovoltaic cells are constructed using metal and semiconductors or two semiconductors. The electric voltage generates when the light strikes the junction of the metal and the semiconductor or two semiconductors. One photovoltaic cell can produce about two watts of power. In Solar Energy plants, many photovoltaic cells are used to generate Solar power. A large number of cells are connected in a panel. From a Solar panel, hundreds of thousands of kilowatts of power are generated. Thus, Solar Energy is converted into electricity using a huge number of photovoltaic cells.
Solar Energy Information
The sun is a very powerful Energy source, and the sunlight is the largest source of Energy received by the earth till now. But due to the huge radial spreading of the radiations from the distant sun, the intensity of the sunlight at the earth's surface is quite low. Moreover, the earth's atmosphere and clouds add to the loss of intensity of sunlight. 50% visible light, 45% of infrared radiation, and small amounts of ultraviolet and other forms of electromagnetic radiations are present in the sunlight, which reaches the earth’s surface. Earth receives 200,000 times of the world's total daily electric generating capacity in the form of Solar Energy. Although Solar Energy is free, the huge costs of its collection, conversion, and storage of Energy make it difficult to use properly. Solar radiation can also be converted into thermal Energy or electrical Energy.
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Advantages of Solar Energy
Now, we are going to discuss the advantages of generating and using Solar electricity.
Solar Energy is the cleanest form of Energy as it is non-polluting and there are no emissions of carbon-dioxide like other renewable Energy sources like coal, natural gas, etc.
Solar Energy is the amplest amount of Energy that is left on earth as long as the sun exists and it is a renewable source of Energy.
Solar Energy can be stored in batteries and can be changed in other forms like thermal and electrical Energy. It can be used in several ways and it is very reliable.
It also helps in the reduction of utility costs.
Solar Energy is free and can be used by anyone who can trap Solar radiations with the necessary technologies.
Disadvantages of Solar Energy
There are some drawbacks of using Solar electricity, which are-
Due to low Solar radiations on winters and cloudy days, the production of Solar Energy is also less.
The initialization and installation costs of the materials required to harness the Solar radiations to get Solar Energy are also high.
The space required for the materials to harness Solar Energy is large.
Facts about Solar Energy
Now, we are going to discuss some interesting facts about Solar Energy and Solar panels.
Solar Energy is the only source, which causes zero pollution when generating.
The lifetime of a Solar panel can be up to 40 years.
One hour of sunlight is almost equivalent to one year's Energy consumed by the earth.
About 174000 terawatt Energy hit the earth's surface daily as Solar radiation even on cloudy days.
According to the research of 2017, Solar Energy is the cheapest Energy source. According to the research of 2019, Solar Energy is cheaper than fossil fuels.
Each year, Solar Energy saves about 35 tons of carbon dioxide and about 75 million barrels of oil.
What is Solar Energy?
The sun is an incredibly renewable resource that can energize life on earth and provide clean and sustainable Energy to all inhabitants. In fact, the Energy from the sun reaches our planet in an hour more than the world's population consumes in a year. Solar Energy can be converted to electricity by a photovoltaic (PV) module (photo = light, voltage = electricity).
How Does Solar Energy Work and Why Do We Need to Use it?
PV modules absorb sun rays and convert Energy into usable forms of electricity. The sun illuminates the world, making Solar power available everywhere. Since PV can be combined with batteries for Energy storage, the PV system can be isolated from the public power grid, making it more cost effective in remote areas. Since the Solar module has no moving parts, it has low maintenance cost and is very reliable with a long service life of 25 years or more of electrical warranty. Solar power relies on the sun as its fuel source, eliminating the need to drill, refine, or deliver petroleum-based fuel to construction sites. As you can see, Solar Energy has many advantages. The Solar industry is growing. Large-scale planning and installation of PV systems keeps us away from other polluted and unsustainable sources of Energy. As the Solar industry grows, so does the need for skilled workers.
Remote Energy (RE) is a 501 (c) (3) influential organization that trains women and men around the world to harness the power of the sun, clean electricity and be positive for the community. Develop the technical PV design and installation skills needed to make a difference. .. The Engineer Education Program provides the growing workforce with the practical skills needed to become competent and competitive. The Solar Teacher Training Program provides local instructors with the curriculum, mentoring opportunities, and skills needed to meet the training needs of the current region.
Why is it Brighter and Warmer During the Day than at Night?
The answer is simple: Solar Energy. Solar Energy is simply the Energy from the sun that comes from the sun. People can use the Energy of the sun in different ways:-
A Solar cell is a simple cell that can convert sun rays into electricity.
Solar Energy that uses Solar heat to generate hot water and steam.
Passive Solar Heating is as easy as glittering the sun through a window to heat the interior of a building.
Do You have a Solar Calculator or a Solar Clock?
These items are powered by Solar cells. Solar cells absorb light and convert it directly into electricity. A Solar panel is made up of a number of Solar cells. You may have seen parking lots for Solar panels, electronic traffic signs, or power lights in homes. People who have Solar panels in their homes produce some of their own electricity, so they buy less electricity from utilities. With enough Solar panels, you may be able to generate more power than you need. In some states, this means that you can move the meter in the opposite direction to share the extra power with others in the community. The power company will eventually pay you!
How it Works
The numbers in the figure correspond to the steps on the page.
Sun rays hit the surface of the Solar cell.
A material called a semiconductor converts light into electricity.
Solar Heat Technology
Another way to utilize Solar Energy is to collect the heat of the sun. Solar thermal power plants can use the heat of the sun to generate steam and use it to generate electricity. Small-scale thermal Solar panels can heat water in houses, buildings, and pools.
How it Works
Mirrors and reflectors focus the sun's rays to heat a special liquid.
The heat of this liquid cause’s water to boil and generate steam.
Steam is used to power a turbine that is connected to an electric generator.
The steam cools and condenses back into water, which is recycled and reheated back into steam.
Passive Solar Heating
Have you ever noticed that the sun rays coming in through the windows warms your house on a cold day? Then we saw how passive Solar Heating works! People can design or remodel buildings to take advantage of the warmth of the winter sun. Facing south (the most sunny side north of the equator), it is convenient to have large windows that are not covered by other buildings or trees. In the summer, when people need to cool their homes rather than warm them, good designs frequently include overhangs, retractable awnings, or blinds that screen the sun.
