Solar Energy Ashley Valera & Edrick Moreno Period 6

Description Solar energy- is any type of energy generated by the sun.  Solar energy is a renewable resource (an energy source that can continually be replenished).  The sun's light (and all light) contains energy.  Usually, when light hits an object the energy turns into heat.  But when light hits certain materials the energy turns into an electrical current instead, which we can then harness for power.  It is used as a passive source of energy  For example, in the form of sunlight that comes through a window and heats up a room  Or as an active source  as in the conversion of sunlight to electrical energy in solar cells.

Source  Solar energy is power from the sun's rays that reach Earth.  Solar power uses the sun’s energy in two forms:  Directly as thermal energy (heat) Power plants concentrate the sunlight, convert it into heat, and apply it to a steam generator or engine to be converted into electricity. Electricity is generate when the heated fluids drive turbines or other machinery.  Through the use of photovoltaic cells in solar panels The cells are made of silicon a semiconductor material. Power is produced when sunlight strikes the cell and creates an electric current.

Efficiency & Cost  The efficiency rating measures what percentage of sunlight hitting a panel gets turned into electricity that you can use.  The power efficiency of a typical crystalline silicon cell is in the 22 to 23 percent range.  The ones that you typically might be able to afford to put on your rooftop are between 15 and 18% efficient.  Factors that affect efficiency:  Panel orientation  Roof and panel pitch (the tilt of the roof)  Shade  Converting a residential home can run the owner an average of 15K - 40K depending on what kind of system is purchased and how large their estimated energy needs are.  But there are tax breaks and other financial incentives to help homeowners.  The total costs are split into equipment, installation and operational costs, roughly in the following ratios:

Necessary Equipment  Solar energy equipment includes:  Solar Panels Needed to harness the energy that is being generated by the sun to produce the power.  Batteries Designed to discharge and recharge so if the sun isn’t shining the battery storage will provide consistent power supply.  Charge Controller To prevent overcharging and damage to the batteries this regulates the charge which increases battery life and performance.  Power Inverter Is needed to charge the batteries if connected to a utility grid.

Consumption & Usage Data  Solar energy statistics data  Average solar panel size needed to power the average home 600 sq. ft.  Average cost of installing a 600 sq. ft. solar system $52,500  Solar energy share of global energy consumption 0.9 %  Average annual growth rate of global solar energy capacity 102 %  Amount of solar energy that hits the earth each year 8.2 Million Quads  Total quads currently used by the entire globe annually 400 Quads  Percent of earth that would need to be covered with solar panels to power it %  Barrels of oil saved annually by all solar energy users 75 Million Barrels  Tons of carbon dioxide saved annually by all solar energy users 35 Million Tons  Countries with the most installed solar energy  Germany 9,785  Spain 3,386  Japan 2,633  United States 1,650  Italy 1,167  Czech Republic 465  Belgium 363  China 305  France 272  India 120

Advantages Of Solar Energy  Solar Energy is a resource that is not only sustainable for energy consumption, it is indefinitely renewable.  Can be used to generate electricity and heat water.  Solar panels require little maintenance.  Solar panels are a silent producer of energy. Will not cause any noise pollution. They are also easy to install.  The federal government has also introduced generous tax credits for individuals and companies that invest in solar and other clean energy systems.  Solar panels don’t require a lot of space.  Solar energy doesn’t only benefit the individual user but also benefits the environment as well.  Solar energy is one of the most widely used renewable energy source.  It is an alternative for fossil fuels. Doesn’t pollute the air so the risk of damage to the environment is reduced.  Doesn’t require fuel to produce electricity and therefore avoids the problem of transporting fuel or storage of radioactive waste.  As long as sunlight is available to the planet, the solar energy can be harnessed to produce electricity.

Disadvantages Of Solar Energy  Electricity generated from solar energy cannot be produced in the dark.  Solar panels rely on significant levels of sunlight to operate efficiently and therefore are unable to produce electricity in the darkness of the night sky.  Not only does the dark have an impact on the usefulness of solar panels but so does that of the shade.  The efficiency of solar energy can also be impacted by temperature.  When solar energy systems are installed, the tilt and direction of the panels should be optimized to generate the most electricity possible over the course of a year.  One of the main disadvantages is the high cost of the equipment used to harness solar energy.  The cost of solar panels ….

Environmental Problems The sun provides a tremendous resource for generating clean and sustainable electricity. The environmental impacts associated with solar power can include land use and habitat loss, water use, and the use of hazardous materials in manufacturing, though the types of impacts vary greatly depending on the scale of the system and the technology used — photovoltaic (PV) solar cells or concentrating solar thermal plants (CSP).