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solar energy consists of the light and heat which is emitted by the sun as electromagnetic radiation.
With today's technology, we are able to capture this radiation and turn it into usable forms of solar energy - such as heating or electricity.
Although one could go into technical dissertations on the subject of electromagnetic radiation, how it is converted into solar energy, and the exact qualities of its electromagnetic rays, this is not something the average person needs or wants to know.
But in order to be able to benefit from the use of solar energy, there are a few facts you should know. Knowing these facts can assist you to make sound decisions, when looking at the use of solar power as a clean energy source for your home, RV, or whatever the case may be.
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div>Bryan Wong asked:
Most power plants in the United States and all over world are using fossil fuels to operate and generate electricity. They have been used as an energy source as long as man has learned to generate power. These traditional fuel sources have been around for ages and when man started using this energy sources no one though about the consequences. Fossil fuels will eventually run out and there will be a shortage of it in near future. This shortage in will have its affect on our daily live and various industries. Today we see some of these affects already, prizes are raising and electricity is becoming more expensive. Although these fuels are more scares, the need will still be here and will not decrease in near future. To solve this shortage we will need to look for other possibilities for our energy demand.
Fortunately, alternative energy sources are growing in interest. For instance, locations with high water falls are experimenting on building a hydro-electric power plant, which turns out to be successful. Other locations with high wind speed make use of a power wind mills that can convert wind power into electricity. Also thermal and tidal powers are good alternatives.
Solar energy is also one of the energy sources that is gaining in interest. This form of energy has steadily been growing. Today it is widely used in the US and other parts of the world and the advantages are numerous. Our solar energy source, the sun, its life span is estimated to be another 4.5 billion years. It is fair to say that this energy source is almost endless.
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Energy Tags: biodiesel" rel="tag">biodiesel, alternative energy
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div>Energy Matters asked:
These days we are experiencing a growing awareness to the fact that our energy resources, as they have been used in the last few years, are probably not going to last for long and that the energy markets are exposed to more and more rapid changes, some due to political reasons and others because of the changing climate of the planet.
Solar energy is a renewable free source of energy which is sustainable as it is not inexhaustible, unlike fossil fuels which are finite. It is also a non-polluting source of energy and it does not emit any greenhouse gases when producing electricity. The solar electricity that is produced can supplement your entire or partial energy consumption. Using solar energy means reducing your energy bills and saving money. Also having solar PV panels adds value to your home, they are low maintenance and unobtrusive. Germany is the global leader for solar-generated electricity.
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Energy Tags: solar power, alternative
Gator asked: We all know that
hybrid cars still need gasoline to be completely dependable. Electric cars on the other hand, suffer from short range and require significant amounts of time to recharge their batteries. So what's the answer? It's really quite simple, a "modulized" electric car.
Picture yourself driving across the country in an electric car. After 200 miles staring at pavement, your battery gauge is nearing the recharge mark. It is time to pull off the interstate and find a fuel station. Fortunately, like most exit ramps, a gas station is right in the area. You pull in the driveway and roll right past the gas pumps. Instead, you continue up to an empty spot on a large rack where hundreds of identical depleted car batteries are sitting. You push a button on the dash and three seconds later your battery is disconnected and unloaded from your car. It automatically locks into the rack and begins recharging. The small auxiliary battery in your car is now powering the entire vehicle. You back out and then drive to a fully charged battery in the next rack. The batteries are constructed in a "V-shaped" fashion. You misjudge the drive-up alignment by over three feet, but the battery still slides into your engine compartment and locks safely into place. Once again you are fully charged and ready to role. The entire evolution takes half the time needed to pump a tank of gasoline. You wave to the guy who pulled off the interstate directly in front of you while he continues fueling his SUV. You will be miles down the road before he gets back on the highway.
How can the above scenario become reality? What if each new electric vehicle automatically came with two full size batteries? One is always in the car and a second in a charging rack anywhere in the country. If all the batteries were standardized to fit every type of vehicle, we could simply interchange them as needed with any other charged battery out there. Fuel stations could have racks upon racks of batteries being charged as they are swapped out. If we had 200 million cars on the road, there would be 400 million batteries to keep them moving. We could pay a nominal recharge fee to the fuel stations each time we took one.
Currently most of our electrical
energy comes from burning coal. Fortunately the US happens to have enormous quantities under its soil. Power plants are currently using this resource along with cleaner burning technologies. It would not be practical to expect a "coal-burning car" to utilize coal cleanly, but a large power plant could. Converting this black energy to run electric vehicles would certainly help improve the environment and get us completely off imported oil. We could also install
solar panels all over the exterior of these electric cars to help use a little of that, "green" free energy from the sun. Every little bit helps and it would have an immediate positive impact on our wallets. Just think, when your car is sitting in the driveway all day, it's actually gaining fuel.
Obviously the logistics surrounding the batteries will need to be worked out. For example, it may be necessary to create a rule where a car owner cannot pick up a charged battery unless a depleted one is dropped off first, thereby keeping the stockpile of batteries up. Since the overwhelming majority of vehicles in this country are actually sitting stationary at any given time, the small percentage currently on the road will have an ample number of charged batteries for immediate use. Another issue may be in keeping batteries strategically placed around the country. We could give the oil companies something to do by moving them where needed.
The real trick behind all of this isn't a car that practically changes the battery for you. Most auto engineers can probably design one in a matter of days. The trick is making a car that's as convenient for us as gas-burning vehicles are today. It's a statistical fact that we as consumers like things easy, so let's keep that in mind while building the next generation of vehicles.
All right big three, I've given you the idea, now run with it before those countries on the far side of the planet scoop you for the second century in a row!
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Energy Tags: alternative energy, energy resources
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div>Anna Hart asked:
Solar energy facts for kids in New Zealand are considered unnecessary by some. When winter hovers over New Zealand, it may seem that day after day is cloudy and grey - especially in some parts of New Zealand. On such days, it is difficult to imagine that solar energy could supply enough electricity for a New Zealand home. Most areas of New Zealand, however, have plenty of solar energy that can be harnessed.
Solar energy can be calculated with a map such as the one on the Sun Wize website. This is called a world solar insolation map. "Insolation" means it is exposed to the sun's rays. The map shows how many hours of each day a country is exposed to the sun's rays - in the worst month of the year. In other words, the map shows how much solar energy the country gets each day.
When you find New Zealand on a world solar insolation map, you will see that most of the country gets between 3 and 5 hours of solar energy each day. Remember that 3 to 5 hours is the amount of solar energy in the worst month! On average, counting good and bad days, New Zealand gets approximately 2000 hours of bright sunshine each year.
Solar Energy Facts for Kids
Solar energy facts for kids might include many things, depending on the age of the children involved. A small child of 6 years might understand only simple concepts such as the heat generated by solar energy. Older children of 14 to 17 can grasp the technology of solar panels and generators, and how they convert solar energy to electrical power.
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Energy Tags: battery technology, energy
