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.

More on Solar Energy Facts

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