Solar Energy By: Nathan, Sarah, and Jamie

Introduction Coal has been used for more than 260 years. U.S. produces about one billion tons per year. Can be used to heat homes, railroad fuel, and generates electricity. Dirty An alternative to coal is solar power…

What is solar energy? Uses energy from the sun to power, heat and create electricity. Examples- Heat homes, creates electricity for homes, etc. Fortunately, it IS renewable

How does it work?

History of Solar Energy Greeks and Romans used passive solar design— the use of architecture to make use of the sun’s capacity to light and heat indoor spaces. During Industrialization, theories were created to explain how energy from the sun could possibly be used for human advantage In Recent Years… Solar energy gathered from the sun using photovoltaic cells or solar cells. Once the energy is transferred into batteries, it can be stored for later use.

How Photovoltaic cells work…

Solar Panels… are made of solar cells. A cell is a small disk of a semiconductor like silicon. They are attached by wire to a circuit. As light strikes the semiconductor, light is converted into electricity that flows through the circuit. As soon as the light is removed, the solar cell stops producing power.

Where is it found? Big cities China Developing countries like Africa, India, and Brazil A lot of European countries due to their high energy costs Not widely used in the U.S… yet!!!

Pros and Cons Pros: - Saves $ -Reduces air pollution -Reduces CO2 emissions -Less dependence on imported oils -Last as long as coal and nuclear plants (30-40yrs) -Quick installation -Low land use Cons: -Can not work at night or in the dark -Expensive to purchase -Unreliable unless in a sunny climate -Need heat storage system -Unattractive -Active maintenance

Costs After rebates, it costs around $18,000. Installation is around $20,000 Is expensive, but will save you money in the long run. It is available now but very few have installed solar power due to the high costs.

Is any waste produced? Polysilicon is used for solar energy panels all over the world. But the byproduct of polysilicon production -- silicon tetrachloride -- is a highly toxic substance that poses environmental hazards. Not Good : (

Does solar energy have anything to do with levels of CO2? Since more solar rays are being absorbed with solar panels, the ozone would be less hot because the heat will not be reflected back into the atmosphere. Instead, it will be generating power in our homes. Over time, this will create lower CO2 levels in the atmosphere.

If everyone in the whole world would buy a solar panel, how will this reflect the albedo of the earth? *Less reflections *Climate and global temp. decrease. *Less greenhouse gases *Less CO2 being emitted.

Bibliography GetStartedSolar_Web.pdfhttp:// GetStartedSolar_Web.pdf power/?gclid=CLvDhfHjhpkCFQETgodWkqhlwhttp://grosolar.com/why-choose-solar- power/?gclid=CLvDhfHjhpkCFQETgodWkqhlw disadvantages.htmlhttp://facts-about-solar-energy.com/solar-energy-advantages- disadvantages.html -does-solar-energy- work.htmlhttp:// -does-solar-energy- work.html