The Scandal Of Solar Energy And Global Warming

Solar Energy Power has become mainstream within the last few years. The global awareness of it ability to be an efficient source of clean and green energy is no stranger anymore.

SOLAR ENERGY POWER:

Solar energy is the light and the heat from the sun. Solar energy is free and its supplies are unlimited. There are no air and water pollution caused about by using solar energy.

Solar energy power is the greatest source of FREE energy in our existence. But there is still some impacts on the environment, although indirect.

Photovoltaic cells used to convert sunlight into electricity uses silicon and also produce some waste materials. There are also large solar thermal farms and these farms can also be harmful to the environment and desert ecosystems if not properly managed.




Solar energy power can be used on different aspects of the industries. Solar energy power can be used in agriculture. Greenhouses (which is entirely different from greenhouse gas) convert solar light to heat to be maximized in enhancing the growth of plants and crops.

Greenhouses has been around since the Roman times and modern greenhouses were built in Europe in 16th century. Greenhouses are still an important part of horticulture nowadays.

Solar energy power can also be developed into solar thermal technologies which can be used for water heating, space heating, space cooling and process heat generation. Solar energy can also be used to distill water and make saline or brackish water potable or drinkable.

SOLAR WATER DISINFECTION:




The solar water disinfection or SODIS involves exposing water-filled plastic polyethylene terephthalate or PET bottles. This process takes a long time, since the exposure time varies on the weather conditions. It requires a minimum of six hours to two days during days with overcast conditions.

Currently, there are two million people in developing centuries use SODIS for their daily drinking water needs.

PHOTOVOLTAICS:



Also sunlight can be converted into electricity using photovoltaics or PV. PV has been mainly used to power small and medium-sized things like a calculator powered by a single solar cell.

There are homes powered by photovoltaics. Using solar energy power for water and space heating is the most widely use application of solar energy. While ventilation and solar air heating is also growing in popularity.

There are three main ways in using solar energy. The main way of using and converting solar energy is by using the solar cells. Solar cells convert light directly into electricity. Solar cells are also called photovoltaic or photoelectric cells.

SOLAR FURNACE:



Meanwhile, solar furnaces use a huge array of mirrors to concentrate on the Sun's energy into a small space and produced very high temperatures. Solar furnaces are also called "solar cookers". A solar cooker can be used in hot countries to cook food.

With all the benefits if using solar energy power, there is still a downside for this alternative energy source. It does not work during night time. The cost of setting up solar stations is expensive, but the benefit of using solar energy when accumulated is so much more.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES:

Alternative energy is often referred to as energy from a source other than the conventional fossil fuel source like oil, natural gas and coal. Alternative energy sources are not popularly used and is usually environmentally sound. It is also often times renewable energy

. Several alternative energy sources are solar, wind, biomass, wave and tidal energy.

Population problem is not only a problem or concern about the number of people. People consume food, fresh water, wood, minerals, and energy every day. The increasing energy consumption is leading to the depletion of conventional energy sources as well as increasing pollution.

We are currently reliant on fossil fuel and other non-renewable energy. This causes great harm to out environment and will also tremendously affect future generations. Most of the current population relies on non-renewable energy source such as:

oil,

natural gas,

fossil fuel

coal

FOSSIL FUELS:




Fossil fuels are non-renewable source of energy, it means it could run out. Also, when fossil fuels are burnt they produce the gas carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon dioxide is known as a greenhouse gas since it traps heat from the sun and preventing it from escaping out of the Earth's atmosphere into space.

The amount of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere is increasing. It leads to rising Earth temperature called global warming.

Alternative and renewable source's of energy is therefore a necessity. Renewable energy is derived from resources that are regenerative or regenerate after consumption.

For this reason, renewable energy unlike fossil fuels do not produce as many greenhouse gases.

NEED FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES:

There are several countries that are providing incentives for private sector or personal efforts to use renewable energy by giving tax incentives and subsidies.

Currently, just 14 percent of the world's energy consumption comes from renewable energy sources. But there is great potential for alternative energy. It could be large enough to cover many times the current energy consumption.

Several sources of renewable energy or also called alternative energy are:

sunlight,

wind,

rain,

tides

geothermal heat.

Wind energy comes from wind power that is generated from wind turbines. Wind energy are non-polluting energy source with low maintenance cost although the initial expense may be high.

Solar energy power comes from the sun's rays that reach the Earth. Solar energy can be converted into heat and electricity. Solar energy can be converted to thermal or energy generated from heat. It can be used to heat water and heat spaces like inside greenhouses, homes and other buildings.

BIOMASS ENERGY:

Biomass energy comes from plants and animal material that are usable source of energy like wood from trees, waste from other plants, manure or animal wastes. Biomass energy has numerous benefits. It uses waste materials that are usually dumped and uses up methane gas (a greenhouse gas). Fuels like ethanol can be made from biomass and uses as an alternative to petrol.

HYDRO POWER:





This technology has come along ways. hydro power makes use of the energy the water gains when it drops in elevation. That is why hydro power plants are closer to waterfalls or dams.

Hydro power has been used since the start of the electric age but unfortunately the value of this energy has not yet been developed and maximized to its full potential.

GEO THERMAL:
Another alternative energy source would be geothermal energy or energy derived from the underwater heat the world is emitting. Geothermalpower plants are unaffected of changing weather conditions. It is also price competitive and helps the people's reliance on fossil fuels lessen.

These only show that we can choose alternative ways on using energy to lessen its negative impact on our environment. Alternative Energy sources provide us a choice for a bright and healthy future. It may something be out of the ordinary but it can also be useful.

Solar Energy Power is here to stay!

This alternative energy source has become one of the greatest need of our time, harnessing this energy is becoming easier and more cost effective.

Homeowners are doing these installs themselves and there are some wonderful programs that have come onto the market.

I have reviewed some of these programs and found some to be a great trustworthy alternative energy resource. Click on the links and find out more on these
DIY solar energy power projects.