There is no single “perfect” energy producing technology. All of them have advantages and disadvantages, even solar power. Let’s take a look at both sides of the issue for solar power.

Solar Energy Advantages:

1. Solar energy is a renewable resource, for all practical purposes.

2. Except for the processes involved in manufacturing the materials, solar energy does not give off any harmful substances.

3. Sun, unlike fossil fuels, does not exist only in specific pockets of the earth: it is everywhere, although not in evenly distributed concentrations.

4. Sunlight is free.

5. While far from perfect, the technology required to use solar radiation as energy to produce heat, light, mechanical power and electricity already exists.

6. Small solar power systems are easily installed.

7. The systems are very low maintenance: they have no moving parts (except for fans and pumps, for example) and can last a long time.

8. Small systems require very little in the way of “monitoring” for routine operation.

9. Given the right data, it is almost always possible to predict how much power a solar energy system will produce.

10. The systems are quiet and increasingly unobtrusive.



Solar Power Disadvantages

1. The initial costs for components can be high.

2. Rarely efficient enough, predictable enough, or powerful enough to provide a substantial portion of a specific user’s needs: needs efficient storage for “down” times.

3. Not every location is a feasible site for solar.

4. Solar “farms,” like almost all large-scale building projects, are subject to the “NIMBY” syndrome (“Not in MY backyard!”).

Green energy solutions are renewable sources of energy that increase energy efficiency and help the environment through energy conservation. This includes solar power, bio fuels, wave power, wind power, tidal power and geothermal power. These are healthier forms of energy compared to conventional sources such as coal and oil. It does not contribute to air pollution that is sometimes responsible for lung cancer, cardiac diseases, asthma, allergies and many contagious diseases. It is also as an economically stable source of energy. Countries can become less dependent on foreign energy sources. This non-dependency helps prevent unpredictable increase in prices and interruptions to the fuel supply. Some green energy sources are small and modular; they can be installed in or near buildings.

The distributed generation of energy offers many benefits such as avoiding costly expenditures on transmission and distribution. This in turn reduces the wear and tear of existing distribution equipment, hence delaying the replacement or augmentation of apparatus. It also reduces power losses through the transmission system. Green energy can also contribute to economic development as it provides an opportunity for exporting green technology. Moreover, this is particularly beneficial for the under-developed countries where there is a lack of electricity gridiron, conduit, or other energy infrastructure.

American Wind Energy Association has anticipated that the worldwide market for wind turbines alone will be as much as $400 billion by 2020. Researchers also came to the conclusion that by reducing global carbon dioxide emissions, 700,000 lives can be saved every year and a total of 8 million lives worldwide by 2020.

Surveys have revealed that more people are moving towards the environmental benefits of green energy. They prefer using energy that is environmentally friendly as compared to conventional polluting energy sources. In United States more than 50 percent of retail customers are able to purchase green power products directly from their electricity supplier. Renewable energy development can be supported by purchasing green energy certificates.

Many companies are providing green energy sources to improve customer contentment. This improves the company’s public image and creates new business opportunities for customer oriented electricity generation or distribution companies.

You have surely heard about solar panels and other forms of alternative energy before. But how exactly does solar energy work? What type of solar panels exist and how do they convert the suns power to electricity? We will try to give you a brief introduction to the world of the energy from the sun.

Two main forms exist to use solar energy. One uses a heat source for a thermal Solar System, the other uses a source of electricity for photovoltaic Solar System. We will concentrate on this last application.

In principle the light of the sun is captured by the solar panels (also known as photovoltaic cells) in order turn it into electricity. These panels are specially programmed to operate as single cells so that they can individually grab sunlight and transform the energy they receive from the Sun (photons) into electrical energy (electrons).

These cells are connected to each other like a circuit in series in order to increase the concentration of the incoming electricity, which will be in the form of 12 volts or 24. At the same time several networks of parallel circuits are connected to increase the capacity of electrical production that will be able to be provided by the panel.

These panels convert photons into electrons and the output is in the form of a DC current. These panels often require a separate converter that will change the power from DC current into AC current, which is the form of electricity that we use in our homes.

When people speak of new discoveries or advances in science generally they referred to the discovery or development of new and better materials to make a more efficient solar cell.

A solar cell works basically in the following form: the photons, that come from the solar radiation, hit the surface of the cell and there they are absorbed by semiconducting materials, such as silicon. The photons strike the electrons, releasing them in the form of atoms to which they belong. Thus the electrons begin to circulate around the material, and produce electricity.

This basic operation works the same for any material that they choose to place in the solar cells, as long as it has conductive properties and is able to absorb the light.

The solar cells that make up the solar panels that are available on the market right now are made with silicon, a semiconducting material that very abundant, but is also difficult to extract and to synthesize. Consequently the resulting solar paddles usually are expensive, heavy, and difficult to install.

Therefore scientists all over the world work continuously in the search of finding new materials that will make the solar panels cheaper, more efficient, more sensitive to light, thinner, and better able to be used in more applications.

There are a number of reasons why we should start using solar energy to heat our homes. You cannot deny that each year, the price of that we pay for our homes gets higher and higher. Prices of oil, electricity, water and gas keep on rising and it seems we don’t have any choice but to work harder just to have enough to pay for those needs.

Start converting your home to solar little by little. You should look for appliances and other gadgets that will operate on solar power. This will end up saving you money as well as being healthier for the environment.

Solar power is gradually making its way into the main stream. Most buildings today that are constructed use some form of solar energy which is easily harnessed. Once the **** of jokes, solar energy is not very funny any longer as oil and electric prices continue to rise. The solar panels that were once considered to be eyesores have been replaced and now, on top of everything else, solar power is even attractive to look at as well.

Most of us today realize that we need another form of energy besides what we are using right now. We are all bemoaning the excessive cost of energy at the gas stations as well as that which is charged by the electric company. Solar power can be useful in more ways than one. It can be used to heat our homes, fuel our cars and even to run our appliances. In other words, we can be using solar power instead of draining our resources and our pocketbooks.

The cost of heat will be reaching a record high this winter as oil prices are through the roof. They are already having an impact on people who are finding that the cost of their heating bills are starting to rise because of the computer adjustment. Those who are on budget planning are finding their bills already being adjusted in anticipation of the winter months.

It is obvious that we need to stop having a dependency on foreign oil and begin using solar energy to heat our homes. In addition to being costly, it has a negative impact on the environment. By using solar energy to heat our homes, we can be saving the earth as well as saving money for ourselves. It is the most logical choice for the future. It is about time that we start using solar energy to heat our homes in addition to being an energy booster for electrical appliances.

We need solar energy as an energy source and we need a commitment towards working towards this energy source for all aspects of our lives. Solar energy can be the answer to all of the problems that are being faced today regarding energy shortages and problems.

Although the use of solar energy is steadily growing in a global capacity as the eco-friendly benefits and outputs continue to be expressed, it is our own reservations about the potentials of solar power to equate to or surpass our current dependence upon fossil fuels. Our planet is just now scratching the surface of the possibilities available through solar technology developments. The sun provides enough daily energy to supply our needs for power, however solar energy is not yet viewed as a primary energy resource. Just like you could not harness every raindrop in a storm to gather in a pond, we also can’t possibly collect all of the solar energy emitted by the sun on a daily basis. However, by developing highly efficient and advanced solar plants, we could certainly meet our daily needs for power. With any new technology that contradicts the norm and challenges all of the integrated support systems that exist, it will take a great deal of education to sway the pendulum, in this case towards the further developments of solar energy usage. The conversion to solar energy requires up-front costs but the benefits of protecting our environment and our quality of life will be the emphasis of promoting this awesome natural resource.

The current solar cell technologies are effective in capturing solar energy. Most panels are able to store up to 15% of the sun’s energy from direct contact throughout the day. This seems like a low percentage but considering the amount of energy emitted by the sun on a clear day, this is quite impressive. It would seem that the clean energy alternative offered by solar technologies compared to the harmful effects of our extensive fossil fuel would lead towards a very quick conversion to solar sources and massive developments of solar cells. Like many changes it all revolves around money as the conversion to solar requires a significant initial investment, probably at least $10,000 or more up front. For the system to pay for itself, the homeowner will need to reside in his home for several years. The average American household will utilize at least 1,000 kilowatts each month.

A high-quality home solar system will often include a 5-year warranty and a great percentage of this system should extend well beyond that period of time. Considering a $10,000 solar system investment this would indicate an average annual cost of about $2,000 or $167 per month to supply your household with the power it needs. For many households the average monthly costs of solar is below their current electrical costs. Additionally, the homeowner is then protected from rate hikes and other hidden fees often incorporated by power companies. Besides monetary savings, the environmental benefits are obvious as solar is a completely clean energy source and dependable. Many power companies are offering customers payment incentives to convert their homes to solar use. Although household solar systems are quickly gaining in popularity, as measured in the tremendous contributions to the power grid over the past decade, it is far from growing at a pace that would enable solar energy to be the major energy source in the U.S.

Many other nations are engaged in developing solar energy as a viable alternative to our extensive use of fossil fuel produced sources. Countries like Germany and Japan are offering governmental incentives for citizens willing to install solar receptors for home use. Like the U.S. these countries also receive monetary incentives by the power companies for solar conversions when excessive electricity is generated by solar systems then sold back to the power company. All of these benefits are marketed to influence homeowners to initialize solar usage in their home. As more homeowners take on the investment in solar the environment benefits and the electricity companies are able to stabilize loads placed on their power grids.