Since when it was determined that electricity could be generated from the sun, the power industry has taken slack for not considering it as a viable addition to their generation fleet. However, there are two facts that need to be remembered with respect to the power industry. The first thing to remember is that power has to be supplied to their customers regardless of the weather or the time of day. Secondly, power companies are just like any other company; they are in the business of making money. Because of those two facts, solar energy at its current technological state has no place in the power industry’s current generation fleet.
The figure to the right shows the load on a normal week day during the summer. There are two noticeable
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However, the downsides to using the diesel generators are that they are most expensive form of generation and are most harmful to the environment. If the diesel generators still do not meet demand, a power company will buy power from surrounding companies. If not enough power can be bought, the power company will have to shed load or cut power to a portion of their customers to prevent a system wide shutdown that will possibly effect neighboring utilities.
Though the trends in generation in the industry fluctuate, a power company’s generation fleet is pretty set in stone (nuclear, coal, combined cycle, natural gas and diesel). This diversification of generation help the companies insure reliability in their system. However if there is one area that could use significant improvement, it would be the companies response to periods of high demand. As stated above in the opening, a power company has two main objectives. One, serve power to all of their customers regardless of the situation, and two, make money. Buying power from surrounding companies and shedding load are the worst case scenario. Also, running diesel generators are not cost effective and have no sign of getting any cheaper considering the current situation in the gas and oil industry. Therefore, solar power has the opportunity to fill a major void in how power companies react in peak demand situations. However if you compare to the two graphs shown
Solar energy is the most ancient kind of energy found on earth, for it is as old as the sun. "Solar" means from the sun. The earth is only one of the many planets which is bathed in the sun's overflowing energy. Every second the world receives 95.8 trillion watts of power…just think about that for a minute. Think about how much power the earth just received in the time it took you to read this sentence? It is well beyond the amount of power used in one day. It has the potential to satisfy all our energy needs forever without ever having to use the pollutive fossil fuels ever again. "The problem however, does not lie in the limited source, as do fossil fuels, but in harnessing
Deciding to start a business is brave and adventurous. The first step to success is a brilliant, viable, profitable idea. Whether you have decided to do it on your own because you are tired of working for someone else, or you are laid off after many years in your organization, before you decide to invest your life savings and get buried in debt, consider the big picture, the current economy, your demographic target consumer and do your research. The idea of solar energy is one such brilliant, viable idea. True the demand is present for such energy, but before taking the leap, consider the market saturation, competition, governmental rules and regulations and other determent factor that will influence the success of your
Solar energy is a resource that is not only sustainable for energy , It’s is indefinitely renewable. Solar panels also require little maintenance. The primary disadvantages of solar power is that it obviously cannot be created during the night. The power generated is also reduced during times of cloud
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
Solar energy is rising throughout the United States. This source is mainly used in remote locations, but is becoming popular in urban areas. In 18 days of sunlight the earth receives an equal amount of energy stored in all of the earths reserves of oil, coal, and natural gas. Solar energy is produced by collecting sunlight with large, flat panels, made up of individual solar cells, and converting the sunlight into electricity. Solar energy is an alternative to fossil fuel and it is important to know the advantages, disadvantages, and the overall price.
This is one of the many new renewable resources. Solar energy is better than coal and oil but it still does have its disadvantages. First an advantage of solar energy is that it can be harnessed in all areas of the world. Meaning, we cannot run out of solar energy because the energy is being collected from the sun. The disadvantage to that if the dependency upon the weather. In this case, when it is a gloomy day the solar panels cannot collect energy. Also, the cost of solar energy is high. There are many things that going into the solar energy that must be paid for up front like solar panels, batteries, etc. Solar energy is stepping in the right direction however, there are still some disadvantages to
Claim: Solar power has the potential to become the United States main supply of energy and replace are needs for more conventional and harmful forms of power generation.
The sun is a massive burning ball of hydrogen that outputs gigantic quantities of energy every second. Sunlight is an excellent energy source and the future of using solar power is very exciting. The Sun's energy can be used to heat and cool buildings, generate electricity, operate communication, and GPS systems and even power solar cars. The sun’s energy is clean and solar panels used to harness the energy are low maintenance.
In contrast, some believe that renewable energy is a key factor involved in helping the economy to grow. Many jobs are created in the manufacturing and running of renewable energy plants. The renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies created 8.5 million new jobs and $970 billion in revenue in the year 2006 (Langwith, “Renewable Energy is Economically”). The American Solar Energy Society says by 2030 it could generate up to $4.5 trillion in revenue for the U.S and create 40 million new jobs. This would represent one in every four jobs (Langwith, “Renewable Energy is Economically”). This shows how vital it is to get renewable energy companies in the U.S. It is important to build a stable economy again and do it all while helping the environment.
In addition, solar energy operational costs are manageable. It is free from monthly charges compared to conventional sources of energy. Solar energy does not require raw materials such as oil and coal, and once the panels are built, there will be no monthly charges. In addition, the prices of fossil fuels are increasing day by day, and this means conventional energy will be very expensive. Solar energy will remain the most capable world’s future power supply because, it is cost effective once the plants are built, and there will be no transport costs like for conventional energy sources. Therefore, solar energy is cost-effective, and will help in future energy supply, as the maintenance cost is affordable, as long as they are installed properly, and are working efficiently ( Hans, 2012). Furthermore, with the improvement and advancement of technology, it will increase its efficiency, and cost of production thus, making it more cost effective and the world’s best
Sunpower Corporation is an American solar energy company which manufactures, designs and deliver high efficiency solar solutions for homes, businesses and utilities by being a global solar energy solutions company and technology leader. Sunpower was founded in 1985 by Dr. Richard Swanson, a professor of electrical engineering at Stanford University and its headquarters situated in San Jose, California, and the Company also operates in Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America and North America. The main goal of the company was to commercialize solar concentrator technology. (Sunpower Corporation, 2016; SRI World Group Inc, 2016; Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2015)
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 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 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.