If citizens of U.S use solar energy, we can help stop and/or slow down global warming. Solar energy is a popular way of getting clean energy. It can power anything that runs on energy such as your house, stores, streetlamps, and even the new Tesla cars. Solar energy is the use of sunlight to create heat and energy(Bryan). In order to do this you need solar panels. These are panels of any size that collect sunlight and convert it into heat and energy. There are many advantages and disadvantages to solar energy, but because of the amazing advantages to it, most people think it is worth it.
The History of Solar Energy
Solar energy has been used for a very long time. The first account of the use of solar energy was from the Greeks. They built their homes in a way that the sun would heat up their houses, even during the cold winters. Ancient Indians also used this method. Let's skip to 1839. In 1839, Edmond Becquerel observed that when certain material was exposed to light, it would create a small amount of electric current. This is the photovoltaic effect(A Brief). This led to John Ericsson developing what he said to be a solar powered steam engine in 1870. Now let’s jump to the late 1950s when a one-watt solar cell costed $300 and a commercial power plant watt cost $0.50 per watt. A scientist was able to demonstrate how a car can
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It is a win win for everyone. It is environment friendly and will help slow global warming. It provides clean energy without producing harmful gases along with it. For every $1,000 invested into it, 14 job opportunities are created while if you invest the same in natural gas you only get 5. It will also save a lot of money. It will save society trillions of dollars. The average 20 year savings per person is $27,000. And you may be able so save more with the new Tesla wall that can power your car. All in all, these advantages make solar energy such a great deal that it is hard to say no
If the country stopped relying on fossil fuels and switch to solar energy it would be beneficial for multiple reasons; it would save society billions or trillions of dollars. Even long before society’s very existence is threatened by global warming, global warming is projected to cost society trillions of dollars if pollution continues. Fighting global warming with solar power will likely save society billions or even trillions of dollars. Solar power also provides free energy. No one can buy the sun or turn sunlight into a monopoly or go and buy the sun. Combined with the simplicity of solar panels, this also provides a solar power advantage of energy security, something the United States military has pointed out for years. A major reason why is that a lot of money is being put into the development and installation of solar panel systems. Solar power can also create jobs. As a huge source of energy, solar power is a job-creating powerhouse. Money invested in solar power creates three times more jobs than money invested in natural gas and other nonrenewable resources, not to mention
Solar energy is clean, eco-friendly and also sustainable. Due to the fact that the energy produced from the
The real question around the beginning of the 19th century concerning solar energy was "could the sun produce electricity directly?" The main motivation behind this desire was that electricity could be stored in a battery, and used later. It would not be necessary to use the device in the sunlight. All inventions failed, until Frank Shuman, an engineer from Pennsylvania finally made a breakthrough. He built an experimental plant that used black troughs covered in glass with a few inches of water. When exposed to the sun, the water got very hot, causing it to circulate and power an electric generator. His data was so convincing that he got financial backers and built the world's first solar electric power plant in Egypt. However, the Eastern Sun Power Company went out of business even though it was using free fuel. It didn't produce enough electricity for the area that it used, 14,000 sq. ft of sun-collecting land (Zweibel 48).
Explained within is the ways Earth can be changed from using fossil fuel based energies to a cleaner more environmentally friendly source of power. Solar power will benefit many different areas of human life from helping reduce the amount of greenhouse gases being produced daily, as well as how it is slowly becoming more cost-effective to be used as the cost to locate and find fossil fuels continues to rise. Solar energy may even expand the job market, to employ people to help maintain the systems.
In this modern fast paced world that we live in, there are many issues that are looked over, energy is one of these. As a world, we are dependant on dwindling fossil fuel supplies and take for granted electricity, oil, and gas. There are four completely renewable sources of energy around us that should be used and developed, they are: wind, growing plants, flowing water, and the sun. These sources of energy are the ones we should be tapping, because they are reliable and renewable. Harnessing the suns energy is the most certain and ultimate energy source. Looking at a brief history and some facts about solar energy, a glimpse of the future can be seen, a future not dependant on
First, Solar energy is such an environmentally friendly source of energy. Unlike Fossil fuels, it's a renewable. Typical electricity is generated from fossil fuel that will run out one day. Solar energy is a good substitute to replace fossil fuel as the key energy source reason because is solar power is renewable at completely no cost to provide energy infinitely. That’s why it is a great renewable energy source. Using solar powered energy, you will be replacing the power you are using, which discharges carbon gas emissions, with fresh, reusable solar power. You will, be decreasing your carbon footprint and the amount
According to solarhome, the term solar power more specifically refers to the use of the sun’s energy for electricity.
Simply stated, the definition of "solar energy" is energy that is created by the sun. In the context of modern usage, "solar energy" may refer to technology that converts radiation from the sun into usable energy sources, such as electricity. In essence, solar panels gather energy from the sun 's rays and send the energy out through a process that results in electricity, that can be used to power homes, machinery and much more. Solar energy is a sought-after source of alternative energy because the sun offers a clean, renewable and cost-effective resource as long as it continues to burn and power life on Earth.
There are two main forms of solar power: The use of photovoltaic, or PV, cells, and the use of thermal energy from the sun. Photovoltaic cells exploit the photoelectric effect, which converts the protons from the light of the sun into electrons, which can be converted into energy. Photovoltaic energy accounts for fifteen gigawatts of global energy, which is equivalent to fifteen large electric power plants. Also, the production of PV cells has increased by two thousand times over the past twenty years, and it is expected to continue to grow. Solar-thermal energy takes the thermal energy created by the sun and turns it into electricity. Although it only only produces as much energy as one large power plant, solar-thermal energy has many domestic uses. It can not only be used for electricity, but also for solar heating, which uses sunlight to heat up houses. Solar power has already proven to be a reliant source of energy, and it will only continue to improve in technology and
In order for one to further understand the importance of solar energy, the problem of global warming must be explained. As defined by Webster’s Dictionary, “Global Warming” is an increase in the earth’s average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate and that may result from the greenhouse effect. With an average increase in atmospheric temperatures, our planet is slowly deteriorating. In order to stall or halt this global destruction, countries must turn to solar energy as a cleaner alternative to the depletion of fossil fuels. Solar energy creates a homeostasis for the climate. Due to its ability to decrease global climate changes, solar power can address global warming in several ways.
Solar energy systems do not cause air or water pollution, and doesn’t contribute to greenhouse gases that could causes climate change. Another benefit to going solar is the cost to install it has dropped by more than 60% over the last 10 years (SEIA, 2017). The decline in cost is a trend that is expected to continue.
Solar energy is the most plentiful and purist renewable energy source available. Because it is completely natural, it is considered to be a clean energy source. It does not disrupt the environment or threaten the Eco-systems the way oil and some other energy sources tend to. Nor does it cause greenhouse gases, air or water pollution. Solar energy is an immensely important aspect of life and has been since the beginning of time. Increasingly, we are learning how to harness this important resource and use it to replace traditional energy sources. Modern technology can utilize this energy in a variety of ways, such as; generating electricity, providing light or a comfortable interior environment, and heating water for domestic, industrial, or commercial use. One day solar energy may well become our primary form of energy. This would lead to a clean environment, less money spent on utilities, and a healthier world. It is highly important because it has the potential to allow technology and nature to co-exist peacefully.
Solar power is nothing completely new; it has been used for years to power small devices from calculators to watches, but what is new is its improved efficiency. Solar panels can be used to collect energy from the sun and now are being used on a much larger scale. Homeowners and business can use energy generated from the panels to power their homes and offices and have it purchased by energy suppliers. Solar power is proving to be an economical energy source available to the public that is consumer friendly.
Solar energy and its use isn’t new to the world. It has been used by various societies beginning from 7thCentury B.C, when the sun’s heat was concentrated by glass and mirrors to light fires. Today, we have everything from solar-powered buildings to solar-powered vehicles. By and large solar technology has some environmental, economic, psychological and ethical implications for our society. Actions taken by companies and individuals to increase the use of solar technology will create good local jobs, improve our environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil while doing what’s ethical and moral for our society.
Solar power harness the sun 's energy to create electricity. Solar energy assets are enormous and boundless, and they can be tackled anyplace that gets sunlight. The measure of solar radiation, otherwise called insolation, coming to the earth 's surface consistently is more than all the energy at present devoured by every single human activity yearly [1]. Various variables, including geographic area, time of day, and current climate conditions, all influence the measure of energy that can engage in for electricity creation or heating purposes.