subject: What Solar Power Is And Why It Is Important [print this page] Solar power is energy that comes from sunlight. It is made from panels that you may see on the roofs of houses. This kind of energy is important for many reasons, and here is a closer look at energy that comes from sun.
If you invest in energy from sunlight, you will have your own power plant on your roof. There is very little difference between your sun-powered electrical generator and the ones from your local utility company. They work on the same basic principles.
Electrons into Electricity
To manufacture electricity, you need to stimulate matter into producing ions. Ions are simply imbalanced atoms that have too many or too few electrons in their outer shells. Ions are constantly seeking to neutralize themselves and the extra electrons will flow from ion to ion as they are balanced out. Your local utility company uses large generators with magnets. This keeps a steady flow of electrons coming from several generators. They do not neutralize or balance themselves until you use the energy in your home.
If you have solar panels on your roof, you will be producing ions. One section of the panel is made to have a negative charge and another is made to have a positive charge. When sunlight is applied to the panels, the electrons start to flow and become electricity. The electricity flows from the negative cells, into your home appliance. As it is used, it passes back out to the positive cells and is neutralized. You can see the same thing happen if you run a comb through your hair and place it to paper. The paper will be attracted to the comb as the electrons discharge themselves and are neutralized into the paper.
The Importance of Alternative Energy
Alternative energy like solar power is very important because it is renewable. There is only so much fossil fuel on the planet. Once the sources are used up, there will be no more, as it takes millions of years to develop. Once you recoup your installation costs, you will have free energy with alternative sources like the wind and the sun. There will always be wind and sun, and the energy is unlimited.
