The sun is an enormous source of energy, capable of providing the Earth’s energy needs for a year in just one hour. Technologies to harness this energy are being developed around the world and are gaining traction as environmentally friendly and sustainable energy solutions.
When we wake up and open the curtains on our windows, we are greeted by warm, brilliant sunlight. We squint at the sudden brightness outside and close our eyes again, wishing it would go away, even if only for a moment. In the moment, we hate it, but it’s also a precious gift from nature that provides us with energy. Rising energy consumption due to a growing population is one of the main problems of modern society. The solution to this problem is close at hand: solar energy.
The sun provides an enormous amount of energy in just one hour, enough to meet the entire energy needs of the Earth for a year. The technology that has been created to effectively harness this energy is solar energy. Solar energy provides us with energy in the form of light and heat.
Examples of harnessing the sun’s light energy are the solar cells or solar panels found on spacecraft, roofs, and handheld calculators. These devices use ‘photovoltaic cells’. Photovoltaic cells are made of the same semiconductor material used in computer chips. When sunlight hits a photovoltaic cell, the electrons inside the cell are released from their atoms, and as they flow through the cell, electricity is generated.
Harnessing the sun’s thermal energy, solar thermal power plants generate electricity by using the sun’s heat to boil water to drive a steam turbine instead of coal or nuclear power. Various technologies are currently being introduced to increase the efficiency of solar thermal.
One method involves heating “thermal oil” by focusing a U-shaped concave mirror on a tube containing oil. The heated thermal oil boils water to drive a steam turbine. To increase efficiency, molten salt can be used instead of thermal oil. This technology uses movable mirrors to focus sunlight onto a solar collector at the top of the tower, and the molten salt is heated as it passes through the collector.
Another method is passive solarization. This involves utilizing solar energy in everyday life, such as having large windows on the sunny side and using flooring and wall materials that absorb solar heat well. These materials store heat during the day and release it at night to keep the building warm. You can also reduce energy consumption by installing solar panels on your roof to heat your boiler.
Solar energy is gaining traction as a pollution-free and noise-free energy source. This technology can be applied in a variety of places. For example, solar cells power buildings and cars, and they can generate energy deep in the mountains, on satellites, and in places that have never had electricity before.
However, solar energy has its drawbacks: it doesn’t work at night without storage, and it doesn’t work well during the day if the weather is cloudy. Solar power is also expensive and has limitations in that it requires a large area to absorb the sun’s heat.
Nevertheless, solar energy use has increased by about 20% over the past 15 years as efficiency has improved and prices have fallen. Japan, Germany, and the United States are the main markets for solar cells, and thanks to tax incentives, solar electricity can pay for itself in less than 10 years. Let’s convert this resource that nature provides for free into energy.
