Introduction:
Man has used the sun’s energy for thousands of years, from
ancient Greece (7th Century B.C) where magnifying lenses were used
to light bonfires projecting the sun’s rays, passing through Da Vinci and his
inventions, to its application in space engineering in the 60s to powering
spacecraft, today it is intended to be used as energy for domestic use.
The energy that comes from the sun can be obtained in two
different ways:
1. It can be through mirrors, which redirect the solar rays to
a heat receptor that generates steam and moves a turbine that produces
electricity.
2. And also through
photovoltaic solar panels formed by solar cells that transform light (photons)
into electrical energy (electrons).
How solar energy would work in a house?
To power a house, first the solar rays are captured by the
panels, generating a direct current (DC) that goes to the charge controller,
then this energy is stored in a battery bank, and then passed to an inverter
that converts direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC), which is what
is used to power the entire home.
What are the types of solar energy Technology?
The term solar energy simply refers to the energy that comes
from the Sun, usually in the form of heat or light. Much of the energy we use
today can come from the sun.
Biofuels like ethanol and wood are the result of plants that
use energy from the Sun to grow.
The winds are the result of the thermal differences produced
by the Sun around the Earth that cause air movements that are captured by wind
turbines.
Even fossil fuels like oil and coal are the result of plants
converting light into energy accumulated millions of years ago. These plants
then died, were buried underground and gradually mutated into fossil fuels.
So if most of the energy comes from the Sun, then what does
it mean when we say solar energy?
Well, solar energy technologies are those that convert
sunlight directly into usable energy, like electricity. They do it without
weighing millions of years for transformation.
There are two main technologies that are used to convert
sunlight into electricity (solar panels) and to concentrate sunlight.
Solar energy can also be used to heat buildings directly
without conversion to electricity.
Solar Photovoltaic Technology:
Photovoltaic solar energy is what most people think of when
someone says “solar energy” or “solar panels.” The word photovoltaic comes from
the Greek word for light and the word volt, the unit of measurement of
electricity. That is exactly what the panels do – they transform sunlight into
electricity.
The scientific principle that makes solar panels work (the
photovoltaic effect) was discovered in 1839 by Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel, a
French physicist, but it was not until 1940 that the first solar panel was
actually manufactured.
Today solar panels have become an integral part of the
energy mix used at all scales from family homes to large generation facilities.
Residential solar generation is the fastest growing segment
in the industry as the cost of installing and using electrical panels has
dropped dramatically and many more people have become aware of the benefits of
solar homes.
In fact, it is estimated that there are enough roofs to
supply about 40% of the electrical energy demands of families. Since fuel is
free, all that clean energy has the potential to generate huge savings on
utility bills.
Concentrated Solar Energy Technology:
The second type of technology for generating solar energy is
concentrated solar energy. This technology uses reflectors (similar to mirrors)
to concentrate sunlight on a small and highly efficient collector where a fluid
(water, salt or synthetic oil) that is heated and produces steam, which is used
to drive an electrical generator.
Concentrated solar power plants operate on a large scale,
the smallest generally 1000 times the energy generated by the average home. But
concentrated solar power plants take a long time to install, much more space
than solar panels, and cost hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars to
build.
Solar Thermal Technology:
Solar heating does not convert light into electricity
instead they provide direct heating to buildings. The heaters pass water
through solar collectors where the light heats it and then returns to the
building.
Solar energy can also be used to control the temperature in
buildings without any special equipment.
When you put your armchair in the Sun near a window to read
your favorite book you are using solar heating.
The strategic use of sunlight can improve comfort,
architects can design rooms with specific orientations and materials to improve
comfort. When this type of design is combined with solar panels it is possible
to achieve a zero carbon building.
Today solar energy is easier to use than ever.
Innovations and improvements in harnessing solar energy
continue to advance at an incredible pace, more than Edmond Becquerel thought
was possible when he set out to convert sunlight into electricity more than a
century ago. But even with all these developments, much of the energy available
to us today uses the same basic principles that Becquerel discovered.
We have made it cheaper and more efficient to install solar
panels and that is why solar systems are adopting so fast.
After all, it only takes a day to set up a solar system to
harness the energy that the sun gave us millions of years ago.
What are the benefits of solar energy?
- It is inexhaustible.
- It does not contaminate the environment.
- Reduces the use of traditional fuels.
- Helps prevent global warming.
- Avoid energy imports.
- Contributes to sustainable development.
- It is modular and very versatile.
Currently there are different types of companies that have
been working on solar energy projects, for example Google launched the Sunroof
Project, which consists of measuring the amount of solar energy that
falls on the roof of your house during a year, and thus know how much money you
could save if you use more solar energy than traditional energy. It also offers
help to install solar panels in your home if you liked the idea.
There are also different gadgets that work on solar energy,
for example lamps, keyboards, locks, flashlights, backpacks and more, even
transparent solar panels have been developed for smartphones, which would allow
the battery to be charged through the sun’s rays.
Also Read : Solar Energy