News about Solar, Wind and alternative green power technologies

in the simplest terms, solar energy is the energy we derive from the sun. That immense ball of fire is an absolute abundant source of potential power that can provide us with heat and light. Over the centuries, the sun has meant different things to different cultures, and it still does to some today. In ancient Egypt, the sun was worshiped as a sun god. Other cultures made sacrifices to the sun in the hopes of achieving certain eventualities.

As silly as we may believe this all to be, it was not entirely without some thoughtfulness. Those civilizations past realized, just as we do today that the sun is a powerful and limitless source of energy. Today, we can see that there are ways to utilize the sun to our advantage.

The Sun Is Free Of Charge.

Every day when the sun comes up and releases its mass of solar power, it radiates toward us, and provides passive lighting, a source of heat, and an overall feeling of well-being. This has gone on for millions of years and yet we have just begun to generate further uses from the sun’s potential.

In some cultures past the sun was captured as a way of heating certain things by focusing its radiated power.

The Sun Does Not Pollute.

The sun’s energy is clean and contains no toxins or contaminants, unlike some of the resources being used in today’s world. We burn oil and various fossil fuels that result in the creation of dangerous gases and residues and we use them to create power to further our existence, but at what expense.

The Sun Is Very Consistent.

The sun has burned continuously for approximately 4 1/2 billion years and is quite likely to do so for a further 4 to 5 billion years. This will mean that we will have the source of potential energy for our generation and for many future generations to follow. It appears everyday like clockwork, and disappears every night, where it will provide the same possibilities for other populations on the planet.

Regardless of where you reside on earth and provided that the sun is shining in its brilliance, the sun can be harnessed for its energy and either stored for future use or used immediately to provide power for the masses.

There Are No Limits.

We are not restricted by the amount of energy that we can utilize thanks to the Sun. It has been calculated that one hour of the sun’s radiation is enough energy to power the needs of the total population of America over the course of a full year. If we could commit totally to capturing the immense potential energy available from the sun, the entire worlds energy needs would be easily met.

Why Is This The Case

it may have crossed your mind why we are only considering this unbelievable potential now. Why, if there is so much potential power available do we seem so pathetically overmatched while attempting to tap into it? Why is there obviously so much potential power generation simply being wasted and seemingly going unrecognized by the powers that be?

One of the reasons for this seemingly wasted energy resource is because the sun’s radiation is cast so widely across the earth that it is too difficult for it to have an impact without specific modifications necessary while harnessing it.

In order for us to capture and use the sun’s energy efficiently and effectively, we need to control it, focus it and store this energy. This certainly sounds easy enough to do, but actually the reverse is true. To date there have only been three moderately thriving technologies for capturing solar energy.

The Reflecting Technique – Mirrors/Parabola

This reflection technique uses focusing of the sun’s rays with mirrors either set up in an array or as a single mirror at a single point and using this focused and heated energy for whatever the required need. A parabolic mirror is similar in size and shape to a satellite dish antenna and is currently used to collect sunlight refocusing it at a new focal point.

Radiation Technique.

This is basically how solar water heaters are operated. Pipes which are painted black are squeezed between two outside membranes of glass, water within the piping becomes heated using the sun rays.

Photovoltaic Cell Panels.

A more recent innovation is the solar cell and it is made up of specially treated silicon crystals, which upon having sunrays directed at them, knock electrons from their orbiting trajectory, which creates a space that must be filled by electrons from other silicon crystals, this causes an inequity of balance created by the electrons and a stream of electricity, which may be used straightaway or stored into a battery that is rechargeable.

So What Is Holding Us Back?

Even though there are true advantages to using solar power, there simply are not enough utility sized solar power plants around the world to make a true impact. Unfortunately, with the amount of technology available to us today, price, consistency and reliability are considerable factors, which place barriers between us and the mass utilization of solar energy.

There are technical limitations still that make it next to impossible to be able to generate the amount of commercial power necessary. Even with the most effective solar cells available, far too much surface area would be required to hold the vast arrays of solar power production equipment.

In addition, to rely solely on solar power technology at this particular time is very impractical. The inconsistencies with solar power resulting from weather, cloud cover, etc. would greatly decrease the energy capacity required, which could prove devastating for those who relied on this energy.

The good news is, thanks to man’s inventive qualities and the continued research into solar energy, far more efficient solar cell technology is coming. These cells will be much more smaller than any of those cells currently being used, and they will generate more power than what is harnessed today. Currently they are still far too expensive, but just like any technology, they will soon be significantly less expensive and more readily available to most people.