Solar energy

Content

• Advantages of solar energy
• Disadvantages of solar energy
• Examples of solar energy
• Other types of energy

The solar energy They are the radiation that we receive from the sun in the form of light and heat. These radiations can be used in various ways to take advantage of our survival and economic development.

The surface of the Earth is surrounded by a mass of air called the atmosphere. In the upper layer of the atmosphere, our planet receives radiation of 174 petawatts. However, the atmosphere is responsible for rejecting 30% of this radiation, reflecting it back into space.

The energy we receive in the form of visible light is what allows us to see the colors of the objects around us.However, we also receive invisible radiation, in the forms of infrared and ultraviolet rays.

See also: Examples of Renewable Resources

Advantages of solar energy

• Low environmental impact: Avoid emission of toxic gases, as with energy from fuels fossils. It is also distinguished from hydroelectric power, which, although it does not emit gases, does affect the environment due to the flooding it causes with the creation of reservoirs.
• Renewable: It is a renewable energy, that is to say that it is not spent for its use.
• Autonomy: It allows obtaining energy in areas where the power lines do not reach.
• Easy maintenance: Once a solar energy collection system is installed, its maintenance is very simple.
• Low cost: There is a significant initial investment for the installation of the devices, but after it no expense is required, since it does not use any fuel.
• If photovoltaic solar energy is chosen, the panels can be installed directly on the roofs, that is, they do not take up space.
• Generator of employment: Although it is a type of energy that does not generate employment in its maintenance, it does in the manufacture of devices.

Disadvantages of solar energy

• If used in large towns, an extension of land is required for the installation of the panels, which is not the case in individual houses (see advantages).
• The initial investment may not be affordable for many consumers.
• The technology required to use this energy is still under development, so it is not yet fully efficient.
• Inconstant: it is an energy source that varies according to the area and the season of the year, so it must usually be used together with some other energy source. Precisely where there is more radiation are usually places where there are no houses or economic activities.

The problem of the inconstancy of solar energy has been tried to solve through the storage of it. For this it is necessary:

1. Extract hydrogen from water using heat energy from the sun.
2. Produce ammonia from a reaction between nitrogen and hydrogen obtained in point 1. To produce this reaction, the thermal energy of the sun, or a source of electrical or motor energy, is also used.

In this way, the thermal energy from the sun is stored in ammonia, similar to what happens with batteries.

Examples of solar energy

• Solar project: It is a more ambitious form of solar thermal energy than providing energy to a house. Power plants are used where the sun's energy is concentrated at one point thanks to a large number of mirrors. In this way, heat is produced that is transformed into electrical energy thanks to a steam turbine.
• Thermal solar energy: Solar energy is used to produce heat energy, which allows to heat water in homes, offer heating or even convert it into mechanical energy that is converted into electrical energy. For this, devices called energy collectors are used. This technology is also called “solar stove”.
• Photovoltaic energy: Radiation is used thanks to a device called a photovoltaic cell. Currently, this is the third most used form of renewable energy. Photovoltaic cells are installed in modules that group between 40 and 100 cells connected to each other. These modules can be installed on the roofs of houses, or occupy large free areas where the sun is continuously falling (without shadows from trees, buildings, hills, etc.). Depending on the latitude in which they are, some buildings can take advantage of their facades to install these panels.
• Greenhouses: Without using any type of technology, greenhouses are ways of harnessing the sun's thermal energy. In this case, there is no transformation of energy into electrical energy, but it continues to be heat.

Other types of energy