Alternative source of energy: what is the background?

The need to change from one source of energy to another has not been needed for almost a century. The introduction of fossil fuels in the first part of the 20th century negated the need for gas lamps and horses for transportation. However, this use of fossil fuels as energy is proving to be a losing battle as it has become a struggle to get fossil fuels and prices are increasing at an uncontrollable rate due to demand.

Many of the energy sources that are currently in use today are bad for the environment and have terrible effects that can ruin surrounding environments (such as hydroelectric, thermal, nuclear and fossil fuels), so it is imperative that new energy sources be found. And with people all over the world screaming for a cheaper fuel source to be found, one would think that the invention of it would be just around the corner. Our knowledge can help us to achieve a cheaper energy source that is renewable and therefore won’t be depleted due to high demand, and won’t be monopolized by only a few companies that can produce it.

Which is why we need to pool our resources and knowledge together in order to come up with a feasible energy source that is not only renewable but is cheaper to produce, sell and is also green. One such alternative is Solar Energy. Solar energy is a great alternative to fossil fuels because it is readily available and is always available. Not using the sun as an energy source could prove to be devastating for our children and all future generations.

This site is wholly for Solar Energy as a heat source for the UK and Ireland

Ireland has a consumption of 2.5 million tons of oil each year for energy purposes, and this doesn’t even include the oil that is used for transportation purposes. This is a quarter of the total energy consumption in Ireland. Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, peat and gas provides the majority of that energy. This emits 11 million tons of carbon dioxide, the main contributor to green gas emissions.
Solar Energy – An Introduction

Solar energy comes from the radiant energy that is produced in the sun at extreme temperatures, causing nuclear fusions to occur. This results in a temperature that is in excess of 5000ÚC, and radiates from the sun in the form of light and heat. It takes approximately 8 minutes for this energy to reach the earth and most of it is in the form of light. A third of it is absorbed by the atmosphere before ever reaching earth’s surface. Based on scientific calculations it is estimated that the solar energy that can be collected from a single square meter of earth’s surface is the equivalent to the energy that is contained within a single barrel of oil.

This is a tremendous amount of energy and is literally free for the taking. At present, technology has created solar panels that are attached to rooftops in order to harness solar energy. This energy is then transformed to be used for space heating, water heating, and space cooling (desiccant evaporators and absorption chillers, for example). There are now several systems available that are highly efficient that harness and utilize solar energy: Solar Thermal Concentrating Systems, parabolic troughs, parabolic dishes, central receivers and Photovoltaics.