Browsing Tag Energy From The Sun

Fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal are used around the world as primary sources of energy. Because they are being used up much faster than they can be renewed, they are known as nonrenewable sources.

Nonrenewable energy sources represent about 90% of the energy used today. These sources are being depleted. Since they are known to have an effect on air quality, causing human and environmental health problems, a greater emphasis is being placed on renewable energy sources as the new frontier for energy. Renewable energy sources consist of solar, hydro, biomass, geothermal and ocean. These sources of energy will never become exhausted and are environmentally friendly, since they do not contribute to greenhouse effects or global warming.

Solar energy is the most readily available renewable energy source. We have used the sun’s energy for billions of years. Prehistoric men magnified its strength to start fires. Today, solar panels absorb energy from the sun to produce heat for cooking and heating, as well as, for electrical needs. This heat absorption is stored for later use and is an indirect conversion of energy. Currently, electric companies are trying to use photovoltaic technologies to convert solar energy directly to electricity.

Hydro energy draws on energy produced by flowing water. Waves are the result of wind interacting with the surface of the sea. This interaction produces a transfer of energy that can be extracted for power generation using turbine generators. Although hydropower is non-polluting, it can do environmental harm. Hydroelectric generating stations can change the flow of the sea and in doing so harm plants and animals.

Wind energy, or kinetic energy, is drawn from the movement of air. It has been used for hundreds of years for sailing, grinding grain and irrigation. Today, wind turbines transform energy from wind to mechanical energy or to charge batteries. The wind machines, or wind turbines collect the kinetic energy by capturing the wind in its blades. The blades then turn an electric generator to produce energy. Unfortunately, wind energy collection is unavailable on windless days. Even though it is a clean form of energy it has had a negative effect on the wild bird population and some consider the giant wind turbine machines not attractive looking.

Biomass energy comes from wood, garbage, food crops, manure, grasses and plants, agricultural and forestry waste and residue. It basically comes from refuse. This renewable energy is also not new. It was used over 100 years ago in the form of wood burning, which supplied 90% of energy needs at that time. When biomass is burned, it produces heat or electricity. It can also be converted to methane gas, which is the main ingredient of natural gas. It represents 3% of the energy in the United States. Although biomass can pollute the air and releases a greenhouse gas, it is not as pollutant as fossil fuels.

Geothermal energy is basically the Earth’s heat. It is drawn from hot dry rocks, magma, hot water springs and hot geysers. These are found inside the Earth’s underground. Some are found deep in the earth’s surface and others are found closer to the surface. Today, this type of energy is used to heat water in swimming pools and spas, as well as, to warm buildings like greenhouses. It can also be used to produce electricity through the use of a geothermal power plant. In these plants the hot water travels through turbines, which are connected to a generator.

Ocean Energy is obtained from ocean waves or temperature differences in water. Wave energy is the kinetic energy from the movement of water. Tidal energy entails trapping tidal waves in reservoirs behind dams. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion uses the differences in water temperatures from the surface water to deeper down depths of water as an energy source. In order for this to work there must be a temperature difference of 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

As you can see, there are various renewable energy sources available to us as an alternative to fossil fuels. There are many advantages to them among the most popular being that they will not deplete in supply, meaning they will be around forever. Renewable energy sources are not new. They have been utilized in some way for many years. Unfortunately, low fossil fuel prices have stunted renewable energy’s popularity and growth in the United States. But an increasing awareness of human and environmental concerns, as well as, a need to find non-exhaustible energy sources, will keep it as a mainstay for the future.

Facts about Solar Energy and Solar Power Plants

The earth receives more than enough energy from the sun in an hour to supply the world’s energy requirement for the whole year.

Unfortunately, only a tiny portion of it is harnessed and the world still relies on power plants that burn fossil fuels. The good thing, though, is that there is a constant increase in demand for solar energy; and over the years of continuous development, solar panels are much cheaper today.

During peak hours, the maximum power density that the sun can give is about 1kW per square meter. In other words, one square meter of solar panel can produce as much as 100 GWh (gigawatt hours) of electricity in one year. That is enough to power 50,000 houses.

If a solar power plant is build on 1% of the total land area of the Sahara desert, it will satisfy the world’s energy requirement.

The efficiency of solar panels depends on several factors such as pollution, clouds, temperature and atmospheric humidity.

Solar power plants are very similar to other conventional power plants – with one significant difference: The majority of power plants draw their power from fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas.

When power plants burn fossil fuels, they produce greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Solar power plants or solar thermal power plants (or Concentrating Solar Power plants) utilize the power of the sun’s rays to generate electricity.

The process could not be any simpler. The solar panels receive heat from the sun, which will be reflected to the receiver. The receiver converts into steam the concentrated solar energy. The steam is stored on tanks which will be used to turn the turbines and generate electricity.

The whole process does not involve any burning of any fossil fuels. Thus, solar power plants do not contribute to global warming.

The increase in the use of solar energy will bring down the demand for oil.

Today, there are more than 10,000 households with solar energy systems and the number is constantly increasing. If the demand for solar energy as well as other forms of alternative energy, the demand for oil will drop and the cost fuel will likely to follow.

Residential solar energy system can turn your electric meter backwards. Given that you are connected on a power-grid, the excess energy that your solar energy system produces will go to the electric lines to be used by other homes. As a result, any excess energy you give will be reflected on your bills. Your electric supplier will even pay for the electricity you supplied.

Residential solar energy system can save you money.

While the initial cash out for installing solar energy system at home is big, the device will pay for itself in the long run. Not only you will save money on solar energy system, you also help the environment by not contributing to carbon emissions.

Solar energy systems are reliable and can last for a very long time.

PV cells are last from 25 to 40 years. Many manufacturers of solar panels give 25 years product warranty. This is the assurance that solar panels are very dependable.

In addition, solar panels require little or no maintenance and the can be installed on most places where there is sunlight throughout the year.

In many countries today, a lot is being said about harnessing renewable energy technologies – particularly in light of the rising oil prices.

Renewable energy is power which has been generated from renewable resources – in other words, it does not “run out” or eventually become depleted. It can be continuously re-created.

It’s not just the prices of oil that has people searching for clean and renewable energy sources. Global warming concerns, and problems created by international pollution, have triggered this concern as well. Governments around the world have begun to support research on improving the renewable energy technologies.

Currently, the five common renewable energy sources are biomass, hydropower, geothermal heat, wind, and solar power.

Biomass

Biomass consists of organic material which has been produced by animals and plants. Biomass energy uses stored energy from the sun. This is a result of the natural process which any plant uses to survive – photosynthesis.

Because we can always grow new crops and trees, biomass is considered a form of renewable energy. Furthermore, organic waste can be used to create biomass as well.

Some examples of commonly used biomass fuels are crops, wood, garbage, and manure. When these materials are burned, they emit heat which produces steam, that can in turn be used to create electricity. Some biomasses are converted into other usable energy forms, such as methane gas or biodiesel.

Hydropower

Hydropower is one of the oldest forms of renewable energy. It was used in ancient times to grind grain. Coal was once the only source of power in the United States. But in 1880, the first Hydropower plant was built, and since then, more of these have been erected in order to provide the people with electricity.

Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Energy comes from within the Earth itself. The steam or heat which stems from the center of the earth can be used to regulate the temperatures of buildings, and can be used to generate electricity as well.
Because water can always be replenished by rain, and because the earth’s core maintains its temperature, this is considered one form of renewable energy.

Wind Power

Even the ever-present wind can provide a renewable energy source. Wind is created as a result of the uneven heating on the earth’s surface, which causes air to move. Thus, wind power is essentially a bi-product of solar power. Wind propellers are used to collect the wind’s kinetic energy, which turns turbines that are in turn used to create electricity.

Solar Power

This form of renewable energy will be available as long as the sun shines. Solar energy can either be used as thermal energy, or it can be converted into electricity.

As a thermal energy, it can be used to heat water or spaces. Through the use of solar cells or similar photovoltaic devices, it can be used to create electricity. The heat of the sun can also be used to create steam, which turns turbines and thus produces electricity.

The earth receives more energy from the sun in one hour than the power requirement of the world for the whole year. Solar energy is free, renewable, clean and sustainable. We know how to harness it and we know where to use it best. Below are the different uses of solar energy.

Grid-Tied Residential Homes

Solar energy can be used hand in hand with your current electricity provider. This is ideal to those who live in places where sunlight does not shine year round, to those who live in areas where electricity is cheap and to those who just want to use solar energy as a backup to their existing source of power. The idea is that if you have 2 sources of power, you can get uninterrupted power supply all the time.

One of the benefits of having a grid-tied solar energy system at home is that you can turn your electric meter backwards. This happens when you produce more energy than you use. The excess power that your system generates is sent out to the grid, which will be used by other households. As a result, your electric meter turns backwards and your electric provider will pay you for the amount of energy your system has produced.

Homeowners can use solar energy in producing electricity to power security lights around the house’s perimeter. Since these types of lights consume as much as 5 times more power than the household’s daily energy requirement, opting for solar energy system is very reasonable.

Solar power system may not be used to answer the entire power requirement of the household. Sometimes it is used to power particular equipment such as lighting, water pumping, cooking and water heating or other equipments that consume the most amount of energy.

Corporate Buildings

To save on electric bills, many companies and building owners install PV cells on their atria. On large industrial buildings, PV cells can be installed on rooftops. While the initial cash out is expensive, the amount of savings the system produces over the years will pay for itself.

Off-Grid Homes

If you have a cabin house or a farm house located far from the power grids, a solar power system can be your best source of electricity. Also, it is ideal if you need to power stand-alone sensing equipment and remote telemetry. Holiday homes that receive a substantial amount of sunlight can also benefit on this system.

Community halls, schools, clinics and other buildings that are not connected to any grid lines can use PV cells to generate power from the sun.

Signs and Street lights

Lights to brighten our street and street signs consume large amount of energy. This energy is drawn from electric providers that use conventional fossil fuels. To reduce the demand for this type of energy source, signs and street light can be installed with solar power systems that store power during the day and use it to light the streets at night. Many cities have solar panels attached to their street lights to save money and reduce fossil fuel burning.

Other Recreational Application

RVs and marine vehicles require small amount of power which are drawn from its engine. This consumes fuel and emits greenhouse gases. To reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gases emission, owners prefer charging their batteries with solar panels.

Renewable energy has its uses but they aren’t all advantageous. In this piece some of the benefits and adverse effects of renewable energy are considered and examined in different forms of renewable energy.

When people think or energy sources, they mostly think of coal, natural gas and oil, these fuels have been the source of energy for a number of years. However one problem is that they are limited in supply and availability.

Estimates have shown that the currently available sources will only meet our current energy demands for about 50 to 70 years or so. In order to find alternative sources of energy the world has decided to pursue renewable energy sources. However even renewable energy sources have their advantages and disadvantages too.

The available renewable energy sources that we have include solar, hydro, wind, geothermal, ocean and biomass. The most common of these advantages is that they are clean energy sources and do not pollute the air. They also do not contribute to global warming or greenhouse effects. Because the sources of such energy are natural the cost of operations are substantially reduced and they require less maintenance on their plants. One common disadvantage is that it is impossible to produce large quantities of electricity than can be done with fossil fuels. Because they are new technologies the costs of initiating them is also high.

Solar energy utilizes the energy from the sun. It has its advantages because these systems can easily fit into existing buildings and do not affect land use. Since the area that these collectors rest in is quite large, a lot more materials are needed. Solar radiation is also controlled by geography too. It is also limited to the daytime as well as non-cloudy days.

Wind energy makes use of the power of the wind in order to create electricity. Though it produces the most jobs it is reliant on strong winds too. Wind turbines tend to be large and though the areas under them can be used for farming, most people think of them as unattractive looking. These turbines are also very noisy to operate and they threaten the population of wild birds too.

Hydroelectric energy makes use of water in order to produce power. It is the most reliable of all energy sources that are renewable. Its disadvantages are that it affects the ecology and causes downstream problems. Decay of vegetation on the riverbed can also cause a buildup of methane which contributes to the greenhouse effects. Dams may also cause an alteration of the natural river flow and affect wildlife in the area as well. Water which is colder and which is lacking in oxygen tends to be released into the water this kills the fish, sudden release of water like this may also result in flooding.

Geothermal energy makes use of the steam from the Earth’s ground in order to generate power. It uses a smaller land area that other types of power plants. They can literally run continuously throughout the year. The disadvantages tend to be that these plants are site specific and it can bring up toxic chemicals and heat from the earth when it tries to obtain the steam. Drilling such geothermal reservoirs can also cost a lot.

Biomass electricity is made from the energies of wood, agricultural and municipal waste. It tends to help save on landfill waste but the transportation is also expensive and tends to affect the diversity of the land. Other than this the process is quite complex and should be much simpler.

Ocean energy is a clean and abundant energy form. It tends to be expensive and in order to access this energy, you need at least a 40 degree Fahrenheit difference in water temperature throughout the year. Other than this, the construction and putting in place of pipes may damage the ecosystem.

Solar energy is one form of energy that is abundant all over the world today. It is also a source of energy that is least harnessed in the world and has some of the best potential. Benefits of solar energy and its move of implementation is examined below.

The simplest transfer of energy we use today is solar energy. Solar energy can be used to warm our pools or to dry our clothes.

The sun is a very powerful star. It supplies us with energy by means of a process known as nuclear fusion. It also sustains the life on our planet. Solar energy otherwise known as the energy from the sun has existed since time immemorial and even the prehistoric men used the power of the sun in order to start fires.

The sun is a valuable and essential resource which radiates enough energy on the U. S in one day to meet the needs of the nation for as much as one and a half years. It is a source of energy that is free, clean and renewable and it is an energy source that will play a substantial role in our future.

The use of solar energy seems like the easiest solution to having an eternal energy source. However the harnessing of this energy is where the problem starts from. The rays of the sun shine over the entire world and not in a single spot. It may take only 8 minutes for the rays of the sun to reach the earth but trying to catch these rays over a wide area can be a very tricky thing to do. Energy available given place will vary according to a number of different factors which include cloud cover and weather conditions.

The use of solar energy in the United States started in the 1890′s when solar water heaters were used. Solar water heating makes use of a storage collector and a storage tank. Flat plate solar collectors are kept of roofs and pipes that carry water are then pumped through these collectors. These tubes are also painted black because this way they tend to get hotter quicker, a storage tank will then hold the hot liquid and this will help with central heating and cutting down on fuel costs. Solar heaters were popular when natural gas was rather expensive and burning wood and coals was a rather bothersome task. The popularity of solar heaters reduced when abundant natural gas and oil deposits were discovered. These fuels are now returning to replace the depleting fossil fuels that had taken their place.

Solar energy is either in the form of heat or light energy. The technology of the photovoltaic converts the energy of the sun into electric currents with the use of solar cells. Electric currents are then used immediately or stored for future use. PV cells also consist of pieces of silicon which are placed under a piece of glass. These pieces have both a positive and negative charge. Certain examples of this are the solar powered calculators that are used almost everywhere these days. Much more complicated examples would be the use of solar panels on rooftops. This usually consists of thin film solar cells used as rooftop shingles, roof tiles or even glazing for sky lights. These solar cells only generate one sixth of the solar energy into power. Bigger arrays are then needed which usually means more costs.

Solar thermal plants make use of the power of the sun in order to heat fluid. This in turn is transferred to steam that is quite similar to what occurs in plants that burn fossil fuel. The steam can then be transformed into mechanical energy in a turbine as well as electrical energy in a generator. The bad thing about solar plants is that they are unable to produce energy on days that are cloudy.