What Type of Renewable Energy is Solar Energy?

Solar energy is the energy we receive from the sun during daylight hours in the form of radiation. Did you know that the Earth receives only half of the energy that comes down from the sun on any given day?

And yet, that amount of sunlight, when captured and utilized efficiently, has the power to provide energy for us in several ways. It's amazing when you really think about what we could do if we harnessed the power of the sun's rays!

How is this type of renewable energy being used right now? Solar energy is used in the following ways right now:

• Building construction - buildings and homes are designed and built so that windows and solar panels are facing the sun so as to capture the sun's energy and convert it into usable energy. By facing structures this way, the sun naturally heats the building too.

• Electricity - solar cells, also called photovoltaic cells, are used to convert the sun's radiating rays into electricity. These cells are put into panels of many different sizes and used to create electricity for both residential and commercial use.

• Heating water and air - the sun's rays are captured via solar heat panels and then used to radiate that energy (heat) to warm the air in a space or the water needed in a home.

Solar power is simply one type of renewable energy, but it is also the one with the greatest number of advantages. Solar power will never expire or run out. The sun has no way of polluting the air or the environment, so we know it's safe and eco-friendly.

Solar panels contain absolutely no moving parts or mechanisms, so the maintenance required to keep them in tip-top shape is very little, if any at all. Manufacturers are designing and constructing solar panels to last between 20-30 years.

Advantaged of Renewable Solar Energy

What else is great about solar energy?

• Solar power generators can provide the necessary power to rural areas, including homes, schools, and businesses

• Solar power is quiet and unassuming

• Solar power is clean and safe for people and for the Earth

• It can be used in conjunction with other power sources to supplement energy needs

There are many new applications being researched and explored for solar energy. One such application is for unmanned installations in areas of the country with climates that would otherwise be too harsh and dangerous for human beings over an extended period of time.

Solar power, when finally captured and utilized properly and on a larger scale, could literally change the face of our residential dwellings, schools, and businesses in a significant way.

Just imagine if we would utilize not only one renewable energy source, but also all of the ones available to us! Our Earth would be a cleaner, healthier, and more beautiful place to live for future generations.

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