What is Solar Energy?
The energy of the sun that is soaked up by the solar panels is known as solar energy. This is a natural, sustainable renewable source of energy. Since this source of energy can be replenished and is therefore renewable, it is easily accessible and is universally available on our planet Earth. This was also an important source of energy that was utilized by our ancestors in ancient times. The various benefits it provides, make solar energy a popular source of clean energy.
Benefits of Solar Energy
Solar energy proves to be an extremely valuable resource as it is eco-friendly and, therefore, helps reduce the high pollution levels.
Solar energy is known for not emitting carbon dioxide. Solar energy happens to be an affordable, natural, and renewable resource that can be easily used to replace the non-renewable resources that cannot be replenished once they are over.
Solar energy can also be used in rural areas to help them avail of the benefits of this energy and get their household chores and other tasks done easily.
It is a reliable source of energy for cooking, drying, electricity, amongst many more.
Solar energy is an affordable and easily accessible resource as compared to the other expensive power generation methods.
Significant Uses of Solar Energy
Not only is solar energy a naturally sustainable source that can be replenished, but it is also an extremely reasonable source of energy. Solar energy can be absorbed by the help of two devices that are - passive and active. This is an extremely convenient method to decrease pollution substantially that exists in our environment. Solar energy is considered to be one of the unadulterated and healthy forms of natural energy. Some of the ways solar energy can be utilized are - for the purpose of heating, indoor and outdoor lighting, fuel for transportation.
Some Other Ways This Energy Source Proves To Be Beneficial Are -
Cooking using Solar Energy
Cooking using solar energy is an extremely easy method. Not only is it easy, but replacing your traditional oven with a solar oven will help you save the hard-earned cash that you spend every month on the hefty electricity bills. All you need for this method is a thermometer, which is a common household item, a box layered with aluminum foil, which again are two items readily available, pan duct tape, a cooking bag, and a Styrofoam insulation.
Industries Can Use Solar Energy
Industries always need a high voltage of electricity to support the heavy built machinery and technology. This high level of electricity can be provided to these mechanisms using solar energy. It can also be beneficial to safeguard pipes from the reaction caused by the process of corroding. This is again a useful way to reduce the sum that you get on the electricity bill.
Solar Energy for Charging of the battery
We use batteries in our daily lives for operating different things like in video games and many more. These batteries, once exhausted, can be replenished using solar energy during the daytime, especially when there is an unexpected power cut. Again, this helps in saving you money that you would have to spend on electricity by reducing the consumption of electricity. The reserve batteries can be charged during the daytime for it to be used later in the night.
Solar Heating Water System
The conventional water heating system can be replaced by two kinds of solar water heaters, namely, passive hot water systems and active solar hot water systems.
In the Active water heater system also there are two classifications dividing the two types of active solar water heating systems-
Direct Circulation system – This system has a pump to transmit the water all across the household using solar collectors.
Indirect Circulation – This method requires non-freezing liquid to transmit water that circulates into the home. This method is generally used in areas where the climatic conditions are severely cold, and the temperatures are almost freezing.
Passive Water Heater System – Less efficient but high affordable, the passive water heater systems are available in two types:
Integral Collector-Storage Passive Water Heater Systems – This system is adopted in places of the world where the climate is generally never freezing, and occurrences of freezing climatic conditions are very rarely seen. The solar collector in this kind of system is incorporated right within the water storage tank. The water then warms up when the sun rays fall directly on the water storage tank.
Thermosyphon Passive Water Heater Systems – The solar collector, which is used to heat up the water, is positioned right under the storage tank.
Facts about Solar Energy
The very first solar panel cell was created in 1941.
Solar panels are capable of generating power even without sunlight falling on them directly.
A home that is supported by solar power can help in reducing pollution by decreasing the emission of carbon dioxide by 100 tonnes in the time span of 30 years.
FAQs on Uses of Solar Energy
1. What are the main uses of solar energy in our daily lives?
Solar energy is used in various ways in daily life to provide power and heat. Some common examples include:
- Solar Water Heaters: Using solar thermal collectors to heat water for domestic use.
- Solar Lighting: Powering outdoor garden lights, street lamps, and indoor lighting systems.
- Charging Devices: Using portable solar chargers for mobile phones, laptops, and other electronic gadgets.
- Solar Cooking: Employing solar ovens that concentrate sunlight to cook food, which is especially useful in off-grid areas.
- Attic and Home Ventilation: Solar-powered fans help regulate a home's temperature by expelling hot air.
2. What are the major environmental and economic benefits of using solar energy?
Adopting solar energy offers significant benefits for both the environment and the economy.
- Environmental Benefits: It is a clean energy source that produces no greenhouse gas emissions, helping to combat climate change. It also reduces our dependence on finite fossil fuels and decreases air and water pollution.
- Economic Benefits: It leads to a significant reduction in electricity bills for homeowners and businesses. On a larger scale, it creates jobs in manufacturing and installation and enhances a nation's energy security by diversifying the power supply.
3. What is a solar cell, and how does it convert sunlight into electricity?
A solar cell, also known as a photovoltaic (PV) cell, is a device that directly converts light energy into electrical energy. This conversion happens through the photovoltaic effect. When sunlight (photons) strikes the semiconductor material of the cell (usually silicon), it transfers energy to electrons, knocking them loose from their atoms. These free electrons are then guided by an electric field within the cell to create a direct current (DC), which can be used to power devices or be stored in a battery.
4. How is solar energy harnessed for large-scale applications like industries and power grids?
For large-scale applications, solar energy is primarily harnessed in two ways:
- Photovoltaic (PV) Power Plants: Also known as solar farms, these are vast areas covered with thousands of solar panels. They generate a large amount of electricity that is fed directly into the national power grid to supply cities and industries.
- Concentrated Solar Power (CSP): This method uses mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight from a large area onto a small receiver. The concentrated light heats a fluid, which produces steam to drive a turbine and generate electricity, similar to a traditional power plant.
5. What is the difference between active and passive solar energy systems?
The key difference lies in how they collect and distribute solar energy.
Active solar systems use external mechanical or electrical devices like pumps and fans to capture, store, and convert solar energy. Examples include photovoltaic (PV) panels for electricity and solar water heaters with pumps.
Passive solar systems, on the other hand, do not use any mechanical devices. They rely on smart architectural design, such as placing large south-facing windows to let in winter sun or using materials with high thermal mass (like concrete or stone) to absorb and slowly release heat.
6. Can solar panels generate electricity on cloudy days or at night?
Yes, solar panels can generate electricity on cloudy days, but their efficiency is reduced. They can still produce power from the diffused or indirect sunlight that passes through clouds, typically generating 10-25% of their normal output. However, solar panels cannot generate any electricity at night as there is no sunlight. To have power at night, the excess energy generated during the day must be stored in a battery system for later use.
7. Why is silicon the most common material used for making photovoltaic (PV) solar cells?
Silicon is the preferred material for PV cells for three main reasons:
- Semiconductor Properties: Silicon is an excellent semiconductor, meaning its ability to conduct electricity can be precisely controlled. This is essential for the photovoltaic effect to work efficiently.
- Suitable Band Gap: It has an ideal energy band gap that allows it to absorb a broad spectrum of sunlight and convert it into a useful amount of electrical energy.
- Abundance and Cost: Silicon is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust, which makes it relatively inexpensive and widely available for mass production of solar panels.
8. How does integrating solar power strengthen a country's energy grid security?
Integrating solar power strengthens grid security by promoting decentralised energy generation. Instead of relying solely on a few large, centralised power plants, energy can be generated from numerous locations, including residential rooftops and local solar farms. This distributed network reduces the strain on the central grid, minimises energy loss during long-distance transmission, and makes the entire system less vulnerable to single points of failure, such as equipment malfunctions or targeted attacks on a major power station.
