What is solar energy?

The power of the sun, or solar energy, is actually a free and clean kind of sustainable energy which can be used to produce electricity utilizing photovoltaic (PV) technology.

The installation of a solar energy photovoltaic system will allow you to produce your own electricity and lower your electric power bill. You’ll also be doing your part to minimize greenhouse gases.

PV (solar panels) are comprised primarily of silicon. Energy, through solar radiation hitting these silicon atoms (under particular conditions), could discharge free electrons, that could transport and form an electrical current.

PV cells are usually installed on the part of the roof which has the most sun exposure (north or west). Those cells transform sunlight straight into DC power. A device known as the inverter then turns this DC power into AC power which can be utilized in your house.

Solar energy systems can be obtained from a variety of sizes; an average system is 1.5kW.

What are the advantages of solar energy?

Solar energy provides lots of benefits making it among the most promising energy forms. Renewable, non-polluting as well as accessible planet-wide, this plays a role in sustainable development and employment creation in which it is installed.

Similarly, the convenience of this technology makes it great for employing in rural or difficultly reached locations isolated from the system. An example is the rural area of Cajamarca in Peru, in which ACCIONA has created a number of projects in order to conduct electrical self-sufficiency for residents. Solar energy can also be beneficial for producing usable energy on a big scale and inserting it into the network, particularly in areas in which the meteorology offers plenty of hours of sun each year.

Solar capture modules are not too difficult to keep up, which, together with the continuing, clear decrease in price of photovoltaic cells, clarifies the current beneficial perspective for solar technology. Solar plants likewise don’t discharge polluting gases and they are noiseless.

One more benefit of energy coming from the Sun is its capacity to produce local wealth, by reducing energy reliance on abroad. Even though it is sure that solar energy – such as wind – is irregular and precisely depends upon the weather conditions and day-night cycles, quick improvements in electricity storage technologies are minimizing this reliance and will result in the growing share of solar in the energy system.

How is solar energy acquired?

The sun gives energy in 2 various ways:

  • It gives heat tapped by mirrors which focus sunlight on the receiver which has a fluid that gets to temperatures to as much as 1,000 ° C. The heat converts the fluid in steam that turns a turbine and then generates electricity.
  • It gives light which is transformed into electricity via photovoltaic solar panels. Photovoltaic panels are produced by multiple cells or solar cells which transform light (photons) into electrical power (electrons).solarworksforamerica.org