A Lesson on Solar Power Energy
Most people have at least heard of the term solar power energy before, especially with all the critical environmental problems that are going on these days, such as global warming for instance. There are a ton of different advantages and benefits that you can receive from using solar energy over more conventional sources of energy, and namely it is free and clean and does not pollute the environment.
The sun is one of earth's most major resources, and although it is over 150 million kilometers away, by using solar panels we can harness the power of the sun through its ultraviolet rays and convert this power into energy, which is how solar power energy is attained.
How it Works
There are actually two different methods that can be used to harness this solar power energy. The first is solar thermal, and this method uses the energy from the sun directly to generate heat. Solar panels are typically used here, which collect the heat from the sun and then take this heat and transfer it to the element that they are aimed for, such as water and space heating in buildings.
Then there is the photovoltaic method which uses the sun's power and converts it into electricity. In this case you may be connected to the regular power grid and it may actually be possible for you to feed any excess energy that your batteries cannot hold back into the grid to conserve for future use.
There are also two different basic types of solar power energy: direct solar energy and indirect solar energy. Using direct solar power only involves one single step in order to transform it to usable energy, and that step involves electromagnetic radiation. Indirect solar energy requires more than one step for conversion to usable energy, and for instance ocean thermal energy is indirect through its solar-caused differences in temperatures at various depths and wave movements by the wind.
Advantages
There are plenty of advantages that one can receive from using solar power energy over more conventional methods, and namely it is clean, efficient, and sustainable. Not only are you protecting the environment by avoiding using energy sources that emit harmful gases and chemicals, but you will also be saving yourself a great deal of money because solar energy is free, while other energy sources are incredibly costly, such as fossil fuel. Solar energy is available just about everywhere on earth and is immune to rising energy prices.
