Everything You Want To Know About Solar Energy & Possibly More!

Every day the Sun covers Earth with several thousand times as much energy as we use. Yet the small amount that reaches our roof is many times as much as all the current that comes in through electric wires. With the Sun straight overhead, a mere acre of land receives some four thousand horsepower, about equivalent to a large railroad locomotive. In less than three days the solar energy reaching Earth more than matches the estimated total of all the fossil fuels on our Planet!Any person would consider to themselves, how come we’re not using more of this colossal source of energy? Well…our answer would have to be; we are using it, and have been from the dawning of man and before. All of our energy (except nuclear) originates from the Sun. A solar-powered radio draws on the sun directly, but a gasoline fueled automobile also uses solar energy, stored solar energy, in which the sunshine of eons gone by, was trapped in the earth until reclaimed by oil drillers. The task is to make use of solar power directly and in a non-polluting fashion .Earth’s own fusion power plant, the Sun, is a source of limitless energy, most of which is wasted all through the galaxy, but still provides us with millions of kilowatts of pure power , heats our atmosphere, and grows all our food. In addition to all of this, the Sun’s energy is harmless, pollution-free energy on and in which all life has thrived since we all first appeared on Earth.Early photovoltaic uses were geared more towards sensing and measuring light more than towards creating energy. With the dawn of the transistor and associated semiconductor technology, however, the efficiency of photovoltaic power increased dramatically . Solar power became more practical. Over the years, several companies have worked to increase the efficiency of photovoltaic energy . Today, generally available solar panels are 15-18% efficiency, which is four times greater than only a few years ago. As of now, solar energy is still used in two key forms: thermal solar, where the heat of the Sun is used to heat water or another temperature transfer fluid, which drives turbines or other machinery to create electricity; and photovoltaic, where electricity is produced directly from the sun with no moving parts.The collecting of solar energy is not by any means new, as the development of solar power dates back more than a century. A number of pioneering solar power plants were constructed to produce steam from the heat of the sun, which was used to drive the machinery of the time. In our never ending quest to improve on the quality of life, we continue to break new ground. Who knows what will be in store for us. I for one, am sure it will be Good News!