Top 10 Interesting Facts You Need to Know About Solar Energy

What Is Solar Energy?

Using sunlight to produce electricity from solar energy is a long-lasting, ecologically friendly, and abundant source of energy. The power that comes from the sun's nuclear fusion is known as solar energy. Heat and light are the two forms in which solar energy is transmitted to the Earth. The amount of solar energy that the planet gets in a single hour exceeds the amount that it uses annually. It is a viable substitute for non-renewable power sources like coal and oil, which have a finite amount and may be harmful to the environment. Solar heating systems, concentrating solar power, and solar panels are a few examples of the various technologies that may be used to capture solar energy.

How Does it Work?

The most popular method of using solar energy is solar panels. Photovoltaic (PV) cells used in turn sunlight into energy. A stream of electricity is produced whenever sunlight strikes the PV cells, jarring electrons from their atoms. Residences, companies, and other items may all be powered by this electricity. Many countries have already initiated the solar panel system in houses, offices, and many such places, like Solar Installers Chico CA, which not only helps in electricity generation but also in many farming tasks.

Solar thermal power plants manufacture steam using heat from the sun, which is then utilized to make electricity. Using mirrors or lenses, concentrated solar power (CSP) systems direct sunlight onto a tiny area, producing heat that may be converted into energy.

Facts About Solar Energy

The solar sector is expanding at an unprecedented rate and changing quickly. Here are things you might not know about this power source that is becoming more and more popular.

1. The majority of the power used on Earth comes from the sun. It is a clean, dependable, and cost-free alternative to fossil fuels. Solar energy is a widely sought-after power source for both business and household use since it can be captured and transformed into electrical power using solar panels.

2. Bell Labs developed the first solar panel in 1954. The effectiveness of solar cells has substantially improved through time; current solar panels are nearly 200 times more productive than the original solar panels.

3. The United States of America launched the first spacecraft powered by solar energy in 1958.

4. Solar power plants are also built with the possibility of technological breakthroughs in mind, which increases their longevity to 40 years or more. Solar energy facilities are made to be readily updated with advancements in technology, so they may continue to provide electricity for a very long time.

5. In 2020, solar power grew at the greatest rate of any electricity source, making up 45% of the growth in sustainable power, according to research by the International Energy Agency. With a total capacity that has been installed of above 253 GW as of 2020. 

6. China is the world's biggest shareholder in solar energy. Each nation has set high goals for the generation of renewable energy, with China, India, Europe, and the United States leading the pace for solar energy adoption.

7. Every day, we have access to an almost limitless supply of energy thanks to the sun. The quantity of solar sunlight reaching the surface of the Earth in a single hour is greater than the total energy used worldwide in a calendar year.

8. The biggest solar power facility in the world right now is the Bhadla Solar Park in India. With a 2,245 megawatt capacity, it has a 14,000-acre area.

9. In addition to producing electricity, solar energy may also be utilised for other purposes, including heating water, running houses, and perhaps even powering spacecraft.

10. The usage of solar energy production is anticipated to continue expanding quickly in the years ahead, with certain experts projecting that it could overtake fossil fuels as the world's main energy source by 2050.

Conclusion

Solar power is an environmentally friendly and renewable form of energy and is being seen as a potential way to meet the world's energy demands. Given its availability and dependability, solar energy might be able to displace non-renewable energy sources, lessen the need for fossil fuels, and lessen the consequences of climate change. Solar energy is now much more accessible and cheap for people and nations all around the world, thanks to a considerable decline in price over the last ten years. 

Solar energy is also being investigated as a future source of power for mobility and even residences since it has a range of uses outside of merely producing electricity, such as steam generation and powering cars. We may anticipate seeing many more fascinating discoveries in the decades to come as technology keeps advancing and creativity in the area of solar energy progresses.