What is Solar Energy?
Solar energy is a term that includes a wide range of forms of energy. Energy from the sun affects the wind patterns, is a part of the hydrologic cycle by evaporating ocean water and it’s a necessity for plant growth. The winds can be used to create wind power through the use of windmills and the hydrologic cycle can create hydroelectric power. Plant growth can be turned into firewood, and processed into other types of fuels. Solar energy can also harness ocean thermal energy to produce power. And although all these technologies are using the energy from the sun and could be considered solar energy the most commonly referred technology to solar energy is the direct use of the sun’s energy.
This type of solar energy uses photovoltaic solar cells and convert’s sunlight into electricity. With the help of some other devices and techniques, one can convert solar radiation to heat, this process can provide heating and cooling in buildings, homes, and businesses. It can also provide hot water and generate electricity by thermal means.
Solar energy began commercial operation in 1982 and has grown slowly but effectively over the years. Solar collectors have become more affordable, more compact, and have increased in their technology to absorb as much energy as possible. It used to be believed that you could only collect the sun’s energy if the sun was out but that isn’t true even on over cast days the solar collectors are still hard at work. It’s true that the energy absorption isn’t as quick as on the sunny days but they still do collect energy.
When the use of solar energy first began it was only used commercially. Today however, it has moved to consumers and homeowners. There is a lot of incentive for the use of solar energy. There are homes that rely solely on solar power to operate. And although the investment is still quite high many will argue it’s still an investment worth going for.
Solar energy is increasing in popularity amongst homeowners but the clean energy affect is growing period across the world. The more economical and affordable it becomes the desire and usage will keep increasing. Hopefully and sooner than we expect the use of solar energy will be as popular as the television or microwave. There is at least one of these in every home and if every home and business went solar in some way the better the environment and world would be.
