So What Is Solar Power Anyway?
As individuals become increasingly aware of the dangers that traditional forms of energy pose to the environment, like oil and coal, more and more are considering solar power. To fully understand the long term advantages it has for you, its best to learn a little about it.
About Solar
Solar power at its basic is energy created from sunlight. The power can be generated directly from the suns light with the use of photo voltaics, or indirectly with what’s known as concentrated solar power. This is when sunlight is concentrated on a focal point, and the heat generated boils water that turns turbines and generates electricity. Solar power has the potential to generate many thousands of times the total world output of energy. Yet in 2009 only accounted for 0.02% of the total electricity produced worldwide.
If solar power use could double every 2 to 3 years, it can become the dominate source of energy for the century. The biggest solar power plants, are concentrating solar thermal plants, although new multi-megawatt photovoltaic plants have also been created. More and more countries are investing in the bigger photovoltaic power stations, like Germany and Portugal.
More Solar Power
The collection of sunlight to produce solar energy is relatively predictable. Meaning that while the sun doesn’t always shine, it is predictable enough to be able to produce enough of it during daylight hours. And using newer technology like solar thermal concentrators, the storage of solar power is now a reality to a degree.
These come in the form of heat and are considered as spare solar energy that can readily be made available overnight or at times when solar power is not available to create electricity. Orbital solar power collection also avoids the intermittent use, although satellite launching and beaming of the gathered power are required to get antennas on Earth. The enhanced intensity of the sunlight over the atmosphere also tends to boost the generation efficiency.
About Solar Energy
Humans have long used forms of solar energy. Secondary sources of solar power such as hydroelectric, wind, wave and biomass comprise the majority of our solar energy usage. Only a fraction of the vast available solar energy we receive is ever used.
Photo voltaic cells and heat engines make up the bulk of our current energy collection using solar. How we harness the vast energy resources of the sun is only limited by the human mind. The ways in which we can use solar power is many, from solar cooking to water distillation, and of course direct energy production. The most effective and basic way to use solar energy is still the use of solar panels.
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