Introduction With the unlimited energy we receive from the sun, solar energy has the capabilities to meet the endless demand of energy and electricity both here in the United States and worldwide. Solar Energy is the one of a few energy sources that emits no carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at all. When comparing the cost and benefits of solar energy to other energy sources it is clear that solar energy is the most viable form of energy possible. With renewable energy becoming more and more of an issue, governments should utilize more funds to furthering the development of solar energy.
Recently the cost of creating solar energy has drastically dropped which makes solar energy cost competitive in the energy market. Although there are some issues with the expansion and creation of solar plants, the benefits reaped would be worth the process. There are two main types of ways to harness the sun’s rays and convert them to energy; through a photovoltaic energy system and a solar-thermal energy system. A photovoltaic system converts sunlight into an electrical current while a solar thermal system harnesses the suns energy and stores it away to heat up any liquids or gases.
The cost of producing solar energy, harnessing the energy to use during winter seasons, and environmental issues surrounding solar energy are of great importance to creating a full-scale zero-carbon energy producing society. Solar energy possesses the ability to keep pace with the never ending issue of generating energy while not adding to the carbon dioxide levels, making it the most viable form of energy. Overview of Solar Energy The two main types of ways solar power is converted into an electrical current or any other form of energy are: photovoltaic power system and Concentrating solar thermal, also known as concentrating solar power.
The Essay on Our Conceptualization Of The Solar System
The human conceptualization of the solar system dates back to the beginning of time. The early Egyptians worshipped the sun as a source of life and then the area called space was becoming a curiosity to humans. Throughout history, our knowledge of the solar system has increased and there is still much to learn. Through the research and studies of Brahmagupta, Ptolemy, Kepler, Brahe, Copernicus, ...
Solar Thermal vs. , 2008) Both of these processes are carbon free, meaning they do not produce any carbon dioxide at any time. In a photovoltaic energy conversion sunlight is converted directly into an electrical current. Photovoltaic conversion systems don’t have the capabilities to store the energy captured which makes its only effective during sunlight hours and not into the night. (Solar Thermal vs. , 2008) A concentrated solar thermal electric energy system concentrates light from the sun to produce heat, that heat in turn is used to run a heat engine of various kinds which then generates electricity.
The working fluid heated by the concentrated sunlight can be a liquid or gas. Types of heat engines could be steam engines, gas turbines and Stirling engines. (Solar Thermal vs. , 2008) Solar-thermal energy systems store heat making it much easier and efficient than photovoltaic power systems. Heat can be stored during the day and converted to electricity at night, making it attractive for large-scale energy production. This can greatly improve the economics and distributing of solar powered electricity moving forward.
Trimarchi, 2009)) Both of these processes are not new to us, from 1984 to 1991, 9 solar plants were built in the Mojave Desert and are still in use today. These technologies today are finding more widespread uses and with the simplicity, low-maintenance, and carb-free emission, most experts believe solar power will become very important in the years to come. (Trimarchi, 2009) Although, during the 90’s the importance of solar energy declined as cost of natural gas also decreased. (Trimarchi, 2009) Cost Analysis
The reason solar energy is so viable is due to its ability to turn a “free” energy source such as the sun into useable energy for daily functioning. (Laitos, 1979)) However, in order to be able to use this free energy, there must be a system put into place. This is where the majority of the cost stems from. The construction industries that put these systems into place for use depend on initial and capital cost to fund their efforts. Since the construction industry is “first cost incentive” they can be part of the reason why solar energy systems are not being quickly accepted as a major source of energy for the world.
The Essay on Solar Energy: Powering Our Future
... benefit. Some families are turning to solar energy solely for “independence from the powerful utilities” (Fimrite 2001). The technology gives ... that cover a good chunk of the cost of photovoltaic systems and solar thermal systems,” (Woodside 2006) they are now definitely ... capable of producing energy day and night which are “thermal solar power producers capable of storing the heat generated and ...
(Laitos, 1979) One way this high cost could be resolved for the public would be for utility companies to take the hit. Utility companies can establish a solar financing program which would offer the option of solar energy as a utility resource for homeowners. The cost of the solar resource would be distributed in a monthly utility bill in place of the financial requirement placed when installing a personal solar energy system. (Laitos, 1979) However, utility companies are not likely to favor this option mainly because they already have expenses from their current resources and do not want to take on the financial responsibility of another resource. (Laitos, 1979) The global solar electricity market is at about $10 billion per year and is growing at a 30% increase annually. (Lewis, 2007) If the option of utility companies presenting a solar financing program is out of the question, then the cost of the technology itself must change. In order for solar energy to become as cost effective as it is efficient, there has to be a reduction in the expense of capturing, converting, and storing solar energy.
The cost/efficiency tradeoff can only be reasonable if technology advances are made to make the process of capturing, converting, and storing the solar energy cheaper.Lewis, 2007) If advances in nanotechnology, the ability to use organic and cheaper materials, and the manufacturability of solar energy technology are made, then it can become more of a possibility for solar energy to come to be the primary source of energy for the world. (Lewis, 2007) In 2009, the energy produced from the photovoltaic cells cost an average of 16 cents per kWh which is much greater than the cost of fossil fuel usage. However, if technology advancements are made, then this cost can be reduced and compete with the cost of current energy production.Pipkin, 2010) People and government are still unsure how much funds and investing should be allocated towards solar energy due to its volatility in the stock market. In 2007, the company “First Solar” had traded a low of $74 to a high of $314 per stock this year scaring off investors. (Preston, 2008) The incentives to acquire solar energy are increased by federal and state governments giving tax credits to owners of solar panels. The federal government offers a 30% investment tax credit on the cost of the system but as prices of solar panels have fallen so have the amount of tax credits.
The Term Paper on Solar Energy 4
A new solar powered adsorption refrigerator with high performance Meunier published a comparison of those three sorption systems for solar cooling (Meunier, 1994). The solid–gas system used in the present study is adsorption. The solar adsorption refrigerators have been developed mainly to be used in hot regions with no electricity supply. There is an urgent need in the health sector (for the ...
Seasonal Storage Storing solar thermal energy for domestic space heating and hot water production is an issue when trying to achieve the full potential of this resource. (Pinel, 2011) This is especially a problem at high latitude where drastic seasonal change reduces the amount of sun exposure and heat necessary to keep residential homes functioning from continuous sunlight. With a solar thermal system this is possible. Solar thermal energy technologies have high potential for producing residential space heating anddomestic hot water production. (Pinel, 2011) Thermal systems are effective in areas with low temperatures which make the collection of the sun’s rays highly efficient, typically 2 to 4 times higher than photovoltaic systems. (Pinel, 2011) The two types of thermal storage systems are active thermal solar systems and passive systems. Figure 1 illustrates how each of these processes work. Figure 1. Usual passive process (a), and usual active process (b).
(Cruickshank, 2009) Active systems are divided into two sub-systems; direct systems and indirect systems.
(Pinel, 2011) In both of these, heated fluid or gas circulates by a pump or fan in the solar collectors which is stored and used throughout the winter season without any reduction in power. Contrary to active systems, passive storage systems uses gravity to circulate the fluid or heat stored. (Pinel, 2011) The temperature of the heat stored is reduced once it is transferred to be either charged or discharged. Passive storage systems are at a disadvantage from active systems due to using gravity instead of a pump to circulate heat which results in passive systems having low thermal conductivity with some storage areas.
The Essay on Solar Energy: Earth’s Future
Imagine our planet with clean, fresh air. No pollution throughout our whole world. This image is a possibility, using solar energy. Solar energy is the harnessing of the sun’s energy and converting it into energy that we can use to accomplish tasks. Everybody should get involved in solar energy because it helps improve our environment, is efficient in terms of saving money and time, and helps us ...
(Pinel, 2011) Environmental Issues Today’s world faces the challenge of a decreasing fossil fuel supply and increasing carbon dioxide levels. (Fthenakis, 2009) Although solar electricity is seen as an environmentally friendly process by reducing the production of CO2 emmissions, there are still some issues that come up when looking at the making of the systems for solar energy usage. (Harris, 2004) In the making of anything artificial there is potential for pollution from the production of materials such as steel, concrete, and glass which are required for the collection of solar energy.
(Harris, 2004) The technological issues surrounding solar energy would be if the panels are not receiving optimal sunlight and thus cannot produce enough energy for the consumption of the owner. (Harris, 2004) In this case, solar energy would not be able to continue to be the primary source of energy thereby resorting back to the environmentally unfriendly sources previously used for energy. Therefore research must be done in order to determine what locations will be optimally productive in producing solar energy.
(Harris, 2004) Potentially, the trees and natural environment may suffer when installing solar energy systems. (Miller, 2007) Where there may be the most potential for solar energy production, there may also be trees and other natural resources that are blocking the sun from being received by the solar energy systems. In this case, trees and other natural resources can be destroyed in the quest for optimal energy production. (Miller, 2007) Specifically, photovoltaic cells present an environmental issue.
(Pipkin, 2010) The manufacture of photovoltaic cells use toxic chemicals such as gallium arsenide, CdTe, CIGS, and cadmium sulfide, the disposal of which can present a future environmental problem due to the extensive life of these chemicals in the environment. An alternative to photovoltaic cells could be the lower cost and less environmentally toxic silicon cells. (Pipkin, 2010) Conclusion As the world’s population continues to grow, the demand for energy will as well. Current energy production such as coal burning emits massive amounts of carbon dioxide which is an issue that is now being taken very seriously.
The Essay on Nuclear Energy Developed By The Hydro Environmental Resources
There are sources of energy that are renewable and do not cause so many pollutants, however they only contribute a smaller amount to the energy pyramid. These sources include hydro-electric power, wind power, solar energy and biomass energy. Most of these fuel sources do not produce as much energy as efficiently as the majority of fuel sources used today. Solar power is a clean source of ...
Solar powered energy offers a solution to this expanding issue. There are still flaws in the developing technology associated with creating a more efficient solar powered society including the cost and potential environmental hazards. However, solar power is a zero carbon emission process that will benefit the environment and society more than it would harm. A greater emphasis from national governments should be placed on the research and expansion of generating solar power. Reference List Chernova, Y. (2012).
The economics of installing solar.
The Wall Street Journal, Retrieved from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10000872396390444506004577615662289766558. html Cruickshank CA. Evaluation of a stratified multi-tank thermal storage for solar heating applications. PhD Thesis. Queen’s University; 2009. (Figure 1) Fthenakis, V. (2009).
The technical, geographical, and economic feasibility for solar energy to supply the energy needs of the us. Science Direct, 37(2), 387-399. Retrieved from http://www. sciencedirect. com/science/article/pii/S0301421508004072 Harris, D. F. (2004).
Global enviromental issues. New York: John Wiley & Sons.