subject: So What Is Solar Power Anyway? [print this page] More and more homes, offices and devices are now relying on solar power as people are becoming more aware of the potential dangers of other unnatural sources of power. It is important that you know more about the idea to determine if it is the best option for you. Solar power can render several benefits for the long term. You can take advantage of the features by choosing the right type and maximizing the effect right in your own home.
About Solar
Solar power at its basic is energy created from sunlight. The power can be generated directly from the suns light with the use of photo voltaics, or indirectly with what's known as concentrated solar power. This is when sunlight is concentrated on a focal point, and the heat generated boils water that turns turbines and generates electricity. Solar power has the potential to generate many thousands of times the total world output of energy. Yet in 2009 only accounted for 0.02% of the total electricity produced worldwide.
Solar power could end up being the worlds dominant source of electricity by the end of this century if output could just be doubled every two and a half years. The largest solar power plants are of the concentrated solar variety. But technology is improving and its now possible to create photo voltaic plants that produce many mega watts. Portugal and Germany have both invested huge amounts of money in photo voltaic (PV) plants and are the worlds leaders in solar energy production.
More Solar Power
Terrestrial solar power is a predictable and intermittent source of energy, which means even though solar power is not readily available all the time, people can still predict it using a certain degree of accuracy when the energy source will or will not be available. A number of technologies, like the solar thermal concentrators, include an element of thermal storage, such as molten salts.
Predictability is removed from the equation when we start talking about orbital solar collection. The sun always shines in space. And the intensity of sunlight above our atmosphere makes this type of collection many times more efficient.
About Solar Energy
Humans have long used forms of solar energy. Secondary sources of solar power such as hydroelectric, wind, wave and biomass comprise the majority of our solar energy usage. Only a fraction of the vast available solar energy we receive is ever used.
In order to produce solar power we currently rely on photo voltaic cells and heat type engines. How we use solar power is only limited by the human imagination. Some of the many uses of solar power are architecture designed for heating and cooling, solar hot water, cooking with solar, solar water distillation and disinfection, and many more. But the most effective way to harness the suns limitless energy is still the use of solar panels.
