Many people have learned much about solar energy after viewing Race the Sun, a movie that starred Halle Berry and James Belushi. The movie plot is about the efforts of the poorer Hawaiian students to build their own solar-powered car and participate in the Solar Car Race. Following a cockroach-look design, the team covered the car with solar panels to capture the sun’s rays that served as their alternative energy source.
Solar energy refers to the power that can be harnessed from the sun, specifically light and heat. There is an unlimited, free supply of solar energy. The best thing about the use of solar energy is that it does not pollute the air and water. However, there are some indirect effects on the environment.
For one, there is the use of silicon to produce the photovoltaic cells that are used in converting solar energy into electricity. These photovoltaic cells eventually become waste materials too. Then there is the risk that the large solar thermal farms, if mismanaged, can disturb the delicate ecological balance of the desert where they are usually located.
There are many applications of solar energy such as in the following examples:
1. Agriculture
Greenhouses use solar heat to promote the growth of crops. Anthropologists have uncovered evidences that even the early Romans used greenhouses. The modern design of greenhouses began in Europe during the 16th century. Today, horticulturists are very reliant on their greenhouses.
2. Daylight systems
Daylight systems such as saw tooth roofs, skylights, light tubes, and light shelves are installed in buildings to maximize the use of solar light in providing illumination inside the premises and minimizing the use of artificial lighting. If implemented properly, daylight systems can effectively reduce consumption of electrical power by as much as 25%.
3. Solar thermal technologies
The most common use of solar energy is in heat generation. Solar energy is widely used to heat water, warm up a space, and improve ventilation.
4. Water treatment
Solar energy is often used in water distillation. Through the processes of evaporation and condensation, even sea water is made drinkable. Another popular application of solar energy is in the disinfection of drinking water. The principle of solar water disinfection (SODIS) is simple. It involves the exposure of water-filled plastic bottles to the sun for at least six hours, although it may take two days to complete the process during overcast days. Today, more than two million people in third world countries depend on SODIS for their supply of drinking water.
5. Supply of electric power
The conversion of sunlight into electricity is with the use of photovoltaics or PV. A good example is the ubiquitous solar-powered calculator. Many other modern gadgets no longer require batteries because they are equipped with solar cells, also called PV cells, photovoltaic cells, or photoelectric cells. Many homes employ photovoltaics, although what they use are the bigger solar panels to generate electricity.
6. Solar furnaces
Solar furnaces or solar cookers use carefully arranged mirrors to concentrate the sun’s heat into a small, confined space to increase its temperature to very high levels. Many people in hot countries use solar cookers in cooking their food.
There is no doubt as to the viability of solar energy as an alternative source of energy. Unfortunately, it is not available at night. Besides, huge investments are required to build solar stations. Despite the downsides, however, the benefits that can be obtained from solar energy are greater, the foremost of which is the health of our planet.
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