Solar Energy Essay Example for Free

Solar faculty EssayThe increasing apostrophize of push and the reality of almost-depleted oil resources have driven man to discover alternative sources. And now, the human wash has turned to the basic elements of nature by harnessing talent from wind, water, and the sun.Solar energy is a renew equal to(p) organise of energy and has been a major focus as an alternative source. It offers promising potentials as a bonny renewable bring of energy but it also has its limitations. Sun, as our closest star, is practically an in unmediated and direct source of available energy here on Earth. But it was only until recently that the potentials of solar energy appealed to society as it has been greatly improved through research and study.The suns energy originates from the nuclear reactions at its core where temperature reaches 15 millions C. It reaches the Earths surface in form of light and come alive and can be gained at 1Kw/ m2 under optimal conditions. In order to affair sola r irradiation there has to be a way to capture the energy. Solar panels are invented to fool the suns energy and can de converted directly or indirectly to other forms of energy, such as wake and electricity. Applications of solar energy can be for heating/cooling, electricity exertion, and chemical processes such as in solar detoxification technologies for cleaning water and air.There are many advantages of solar energy over other conventional forms. As a renewable form of energy, the primary benefit of this is that it will never die out. The sun provides unlimited supply of solar energy, and is virtually free after the user recovers the initial embody of installation. The use of solar panels in homes does not need fuels and produces no waste or pollution. The Clean Energy Ideas website further presented on the advantages of solar military unit that the only pollution that could be associated with this is may be during the production of the cell and transportation to angio tensin-converting enzymes home. But by the time that it is installed, this solar billet system has the total escape of pollution given off.Solar energy also has the ability to harness power in outside(a) locations. It has an advantage to bring electricity in the remote places on primer as long as the sun contains enough energy in that location. Mountain communities, for example, could benefit a lot from the electricity ply by solar energy as constructing conventional power lines in these places will be very difficult or near impossible due to expensive greet it would incur. Solar energy power system can be stand alone structures that do not require connection to power or natural gas grid.A major limitation of solar energy is its ability to collect and store energy so there is a constant power supply. Since it cannot function at wickedness when the suns power is not available or in places where the sun is not able to provide enough energy for the amount of energy needed for us e, there are times that linchpin up energy source is needed. The irregular and variable manner that solar energy arrives on earth limits the use of this form of energy. Large areas are also needed to collect it at a profitable rate. In the United Kingdom, for example, where the country experiences not a very sunny climate, solar power is use only for low power application.Jesse Ausebel of the of the Rockefeller University in New York in his article for the Indersciences International Journal of nuclear Governance, Economy and Ecology, claims that renewable energy is not always green (Inderscience, 2007). He criticized solar power since a photovoltaic solar cell plant would require painting black well-nigh than 150 straightforwardly kilometers plus land for storage and retrieval to equal a 1000 MWe nuclear plant. Since this form of renewable energy involves vast infrastructure, such as concrete, steel, and access roads, Ausebel further added that As a Green, one of my credos is no new structures but renewables all involve ten times or more binge per kilowatt as natural gas or nuclear, (Inderscience, 2007).The initial cost of installation of solar panels or building solar power stations can be very expensive, discouraging some of the could-be users of solar energy. It has appealed mostly to the affluent members of society and environment advocates because buying and installing solar power equipment can cost $15,000 for an average-size home before any current starts to flow a John Greenwald wrote in his article for judgment of conviction magazine (Greenwald, 1993).Advance studies and research, however, are trying to lower the cost of installation so that this could be favorable to more people. The technology in harnessing the potentials of solar energy is getting better and cheaper with the passing old age. The price of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight to electricity has fallen from $500 a watt in the 1960s to about $4 in the 1990s and companies ar e still finding ways to reduce the cost for residential use (Greenwald, 1993).As the technology is getting better, support from the federal government are also flood tide in. Jimmy Carter earlier created tax breaks to spine solar development but this was later scrapped by Ronald Reagan who viewed this as meddling in the energy business, which impeded the development of renewable energy for about 10 years (Greenwald, 1993). With the current situation of our environment, however, the government and the society in general recognizes the need and benefit from developing and modify solar energy.The use of solar energy for electricity is not a farfetched idea as the technology has gone through vast improvements. Researchers believe that solar energy is soon going to manoeuvre a major role in electricity generation for the masses. Production of this on a big scale are being studied and improved. Budget allocations for these research and studies are being increased in countries around t he world signifying that people are finally recognizing the advantages of this renewable form of energy.Energy is needed to spur human activities. Solar energy indeed poses promising potentials in a society where conventional sources of energy are near depletion. Undeniably, the solar energy has its limitations, but these are slowly and surely overcome with technological advances and it will not be for long when this energy form will be produced in a larger scale and cheaper rate accessible for homes around the globe.WORKS CITEDClean Energy Ideas. http//www.clean-energy-ideas.com/solar_panels.htmlGreenwald, John. Here Comes the Sun. 18 October 1993. Time magazine. http//www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979413-3,00.htmlA Brief Introduction to Solar Energy. My Solar part at Home. http//www.mysolarenergyathome.com/Natural Resources Canada. Renewable Energy. http//canren.gc.ca/tech_appl/index.asp?CaId=5PgId=121Renewable Energy Wrecks Environment, According To Researcher. Inde rscience Publishers. 25 July 2007 http//www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070724160209.htm