Why Do We Need Solar Energy?

Why Do We Need Solar Energy?

With the world's natural resources depleting rapidly, humans must find a way to compensate. This society has milked oil, coal, gasoline, lead, uranium, and many other of these reservoirs in our Earth for hundreds of years and much has been done. Asphalt was used for our roads and highways, coal was originally used for heat before there was oil, and even water was used as a form of electricity on many rural farms. Luckily, more companies around the world are waking up to the fact that these resources will not be around forever, and that in the near future, other forms of energy will take heed. Solar energy, or energy powered by the sun, is one of the most promising. Since the sun's rays create so much for the wildlife that surrounds us, why can't it do the same for people? It can, and as many industries are finding out, will be around long after the other resources are gone.

What is solar energy? To fully comprehend this, background information must be presented. How did we get to the point we are at now? Most people look to the 1973 oil embargo, where Arab delegates announced they'd no longer be shipping petroleum oil to countries, such as the U.S., who had supported Israel in their conflict with Egypt. About the same time as this was announced, members of OPEC agreed to quadruple world oil prices. Focus then turned to solar energy. With barely any oil being imported, the Federal government started putting close to $400 million per year for research on solar energy. The facts were and still are ever-present: oil, coal, and nuclear energy are depletable, causing a massive amount of pollutive particles to go up into the air, which in turn causes a bounty of problems. On the other hand, solar energy is clean and renewable with no bad after effects. The actual definition of solar energy is "energy from the sun that's converted into thermal or electric energy." The terminology used when discussing solar energy may be complex and difficult to understand to the average Joe. This is because not much has been done to try and explain the uses or even the way this system operates to the public. The money allocated by the government has seemed to go towards research instead of encouraging and educating the people about the benefits of renewable energy. The breakdown shows us that PV cells, or "photo" meaning light + "voltaic" meaning electricity = photovoltaic. Photovoltaic cells are actual devices that convert sunlight to electricity where sunlight photons free electrons from common silicon. This was first discovered during the 18th century and the PV cells themsleves were developed at Bell Labs in 1950 primarily for space use. Today, the Hubbell telescope uses solar panels for its energy requirements. NASA continues to regularly use solar energy with much of their machinery, since electricity is dangerous in space. The cost for PV cells has dropped in the last few decades and now many rural health clinics can use it for refrigeration, water pumps, and for small scale power generation. Also, EXXON is the second largest producer of solar cells. It's also very important to mention wind turbines, the modern equivalent to the windmill. These are mounted on a tower to capture the most energy. The "lift-and-drag" of the wind causes the rotor, which mounts the blades, to spin and the turning shaft spins a generator to make electricity. You may be asking "how does this relate to solar power?" Well, pressure variates between areas because of solar energy. This gives the power to these wind turbines.

Many other parts of the world have done their part in the conservation of non-renewable resources. Although, when poorer countries are more rural and tend to be lower income, not much thought is given to alternate forms of energy or conservation. These countries have to export more goods than other countries because their surroundings contain rich resources needed around the globe. That is how most economies work, and people fight to survive without that money source. On the more positive side, countries from 6 continents join in the education and practical use of solar energy. At the American University of Armenia, the largest solar energy project in the Commonwealth of Independent States has developed a heating/cooling system powered by solar panels on the roof of the main building at the university. The system is unusually large in number of solar panels, 32, and unique for it's heating and cooling system. In Taiwan, the first 2.64 Mw wind farm was installed and operated successfully in November of 2000. Also, a number of pig farms were developed with biogas power generators, capable of generating around 23 megawatts. In the African nation of Ghana, some 1,780 homes, 42 school, 6 clinics, 24 street-lighting systems, and a water pumping machine are benefiting from Ghana's solar energy project. The Minister of Energy got the word out that this form of energy