| The sun is one of the biggest and richest energy | | | | sun shines. Even though the power is not available 24 |
| sources. Solar energy, however, is the sun's rays (solar | | | | hours a day, there is a solution in the form of thermal |
| radiation) which reach the earth. Solar energy was first | | | | energy storage. It is free, renewable and able to |
| used for practical purposes in 1830 when John | | | | produce more than double or even triple the energy |
| Herschel, an English astronomer, used a box to collect | | | | demanded. Installing photovoltaic devices or solar cells |
| heat from sunlight thus creating a solar thermal | | | | in 4% of the world's desert area, or as big as Gobi |
| collector device. He used it to cook food at the time | | | | desert, is enough to supply the electricity demand of |
| he was on an expedition to Africa. | | | | the whole world. |
| Solar energy can be converted into heat for heating | | | | The scale of usage for solar energy varies. Low |
| purposes and to generate electricity. Heating purposes | | | | temperature solar energy collectors can be used for |
| cover heating water (homes, buildings, swimming pools) | | | | the equally low level utility, heating water at homes for |
| and heating spaces (homes, building, greenhouses). As | | | | example, instead of generating electricity. |
| for electricity, there are two ways for solar energy to | | | | Although it emits no pollution, water or air, nor does it |
| be converted into it: the Photovoltaic way and the | | | | produce greenhouse gases, the usage of solar energy |
| solar thermal power plant way. The Photovoltaic way | | | | does have some indirect impacts on the environment. |
| is quite straightforward, the heat from the sun is | | | | The process of manufacturing photovoltaic cells (PV) |
| converted into electricity. The solar thermal power | | | | uses a number of solvents and alcohols as well |
| plant, on the other hand, uses the solar energy to heat | | | | produces toxic chemicals and materials, even if they |
| a certain type fluid (called solar heat transfer fluid) to a | | | | are all amount to a small quantity. |
| very high degree, creating steam which in turn is used | | | | Desert ecosystem risks some damage if on site solar |
| to produce electricity. | | | | thermal power plants are not correctly managed. A |
| Some disadvantages of solar energy include the | | | | solar power tower creates concentrated beam of |
| uncertainty of the source, which is the sun. Any place | | | | sunlight and these beams may kill birds and insects. |
| on earth may use this energy but there is no | | | | The fluids which transfer heat at solar thermal |
| guarantee that the rays of sun reach the generator | | | | systems may prove to be dangerous and need |
| the way they are supposed to be. The weather, | | | | careful treatment and removal. |
| eclipse and other factors may prevent the sun rays | | | | Water is needed for routine cleaning at the solar |
| from supplying solar generator properly. | | | | thermal power plants, for the receivers and |
| And to address the problem of uneven energy | | | | concentrators of the heat, as well as to cool the |
| distribution, the collector of sun rays require a large | | | | turbine generator. Needless to say, exploiting water in |
| surface area to work properly. This is seen as another | | | | locations where the heat from sun is particularly |
| disadvantage. | | | | powerful may harm the ecosystem. |
| On the other hand, solar energy is found anywhere the | | | | |