Renewable And Inestimable Power Is The Prospect Of Solar Energy.

Our generation will be the first to witness the increasing contribution, in a global scale, of solar energy in producing electricity. There are two ways of generating electricity using the power of the sun. The first and probably the most promising method is based on photovoltaics (PV). Photovoltaic cells, or solar cells, are already widely used to power gadgets like calculators, garden lights, satellites, and clocks. The other method, called concentrated solar power (CSP), relies on a system of mirrors and lenses to focus light rays on small area which creates intense heat and via heat transfer, power turbines that are connected to generators.

Harnessing solar power is not a new idea. Remember the story of how Archimedes was able to burn enemy ships by using mirrors to concentrate the sun's rays on the vessels? While the story may not have happened, it only confirms that people have already been thinking of harnessing the sun's power since ancient times.

Photovoltaic cells, or more commonly known as solar cells, are actually semiconductors. This means that solar cells share many similarities with other electronic components like diodes. When sunlight strikes the surface of solar cells, electrons are energized and when electrons are knocked into a higher level, electricity is created.

The difference between the solar cells that powered calculators maybe ten years ago to modern photovoltaic cells that are used to generate household electricity is efficiency or energy conversion ratio. Today's solar cells are able to convert 24 percent of the energy found in sunlight to electricity while older solar cells had a conversion efficiency of less than 10 percent. Research in the industry and academe indicates that energy conversion ratios may rise to more than 40 percent.

Solar panels alone can create direct current electricity. An inverter is used to convert what is produced by photovoltaic cells into another kind of alternative current. Since the sun is only out for part of a day, these solar panels will only function when there is sunlight and the electricity that they creates is stored as energy within batteries to last throughout the night.

Adopting solar energy to become a major source of energy is costly, which is one of the biggest hindrances that need to be overcome. Per watt, solar energy that is converted into electricity can cost from seven to ten dollars as studied in 2006. More traditional means of generating electricity is cheaper, but it does not compare to the cleaner and more renewable source that solar power offers.

Daily, sunlight travels to the earth and can reach up to energy proportions measuring to 90 petawatts. In one day a human can use up to 15 terawatts in energy consumption. 90 petawatts is roughly 15 terawatts times 6,000!

This huge amount of solar energy is the main reason why solar power is one of the most promising alternative sources of energy. Even if a small fraction of solar radiation is converted into electricity, the amount of potential electric power from solar energy is very big and is more than enough to make solar power the major source of electricity in the future.