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Solar Energy Advantages And Disadvantages

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Solar energy can be use today in a variety of ways. Probably because today, more and more people are understanding the advantages of solar energy as our solar technology increases and the cost of fossil fuels rises. Solar energy systems today can now used to power homes, cars, appliances in a ways of like Photovoltaic panels, Heating water, Lighting etc. Solar Photovoltaic panels The most common form of solar energy used today are photovoltaic solar panels, which absorb the sun’s light to create electricity. These solar panels can be attached to homes as a primary or secondary source of electric power. They can also be used for small appliances and machines which only need small amounts of electricity for use. Large scale photovoltaic panel plants have also been constructed to provide power to many homes. Solar cels convert sunlight directly into electricity. Solar cells are often used to power calculators and watches. They are made of semiconducting materials similar to those used in computer chips. When sunlight is absorbed by these materials, the solar energy knocks electrons loose from their atoms, allows the electrons to flow through the material to produce electricity. This process of converting light (photons) to electricity (voltage) is called the photovoltaic(PV)effect. Solar cells are typically combined into modules that hold about 40 cells; a number of these modules are mounted in PV arrays that can measure up to several meters on a side. These flat plate PV arrays can be mounted at a fixed angle facing south, or they can be mounted on a tracking device that follows the sun, allowing them to capture the most sunlight over the course of a day. Several connected PV arrays can provide enough power for a household; for large electric utility or industrial applications, hundreds of arrays can be interconnected to form a single, large PV system. Solar lighting One of the easiest way to improve home efficiency is to add outdoor solar lighting to your property. Unlike traditional exterior lights, solar lighting requires no complicated setup as the lights are wireless and harness sunlight during the day to circumvent the need for grid-supplied electricity at night. Though solar lights are not yet as

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