Preview

Solar Energy Paper Essay Example

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
536 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Solar Energy Paper Essay Example
Solar Energy is one of the many renewable sources that is produced by the sun in the form of light and heat. It is one of the most important non-conventional sources of energy due to the fact that its free and we have plenty of it. Humans have been using it since ancient times. Solar energy can be use two ways, we can convert it into heat energy or it can converted into electricity. It has had a rapid growth in recent years, accounting for less than one percent of electricity used in the United States today. The market exceeds sales of 29 billion dollars and 1.6 billion of that money goes to the United States alone with California leading the way. Solar panels give off no pollution, the only pollution produced as a result is the goods and devices needed to make the panels. Some renewable fuels can be noisy like wind turbines, solar energy makes electricity quietly. Installing solar panels in remote locations is usually more cost effective than laying high voltage wires. It can be very efficient in large areas, and with technologies improving everyday, it allows for more efficient energy production on overcast and dull days. Another great example is that panels can be installed on top of rooftops which allows for more space. The use of solar energy to make electricity allows the user to become less dependent on the worlds fossil fuel supplies. This is very good for the environment. Just like everything good, solar energy has its cons. The cost it takes to make the cells for the solar panels can be very expensive and some houses may need more than one. Another example is that some panels required the sun all day, so that means that in the nighttime, the panels are not producing energy. Also weather can affect the efficiency of solar cells. Even with all the cons, the pros still outweigh the cons when it comes to solar energy. Take china for example, it has become the top country in green energy especially in solar power. It accounted for half the world’s

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Energy is an important factor in todays society, it is neccesary to power business, manufacturing and the transportation of goods and services all around the world. Solar powered energy is energy from the sun. This energy can be conerted into different energy like heat and electricity. Heat can be used to heat water or heat spaces, for example heating for houses, buildings or even swimming pools. Solar energy can be converted in two ways, by Photovoltaic or “solar cells” which change sunlight directly into electricity or by concentrating solar power plants which generate electricity by using heat from solar thermal collectors. Coal powered energy has played an important role in the advancement of civilization and will continue to be a major fuel source for at least the next quarter century. It is used primarly to produce electricty and heat through a dirty process which involves mining and combustion of the fuel. The two most common types of coal mining used today are surface mining and underground mining. In the long run, solar energy has greater potential than coal powered energy.…

    • 1129 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Photovoltaic solar power systems are environmentally beneficial because they release no harmful pollutants or emissions such as CO2. These systems operate throughout the day, implying it is sunny, and do not rely greatly on other power sources to operate, thus there is less of a toll on the environment in terms of external resource usage. An environmental cost of photovoltaic systems is the manufacturing of these systems that uses energy and could possibly contribute to more atmospheric pollution, such as installation that can be damaging to the surface of our envirionment.…

    • 366 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    It can greatly reduce green house gases that other power sources release. Many cities have smog a large example of that is china that uses coal power plants that have a terrible effect on the environment and people also. Many other energy sources pollute water and soil that damages they way we live our lives. There are plenty of ways to gain energy through effective efficient ways with out causing damage to the planet. Renewable energy resources release very close to zero global warming emissions which creates much better public health using renewable energy by eliminating pollution from other non renewable sources. While using renewable energy you have unlimited supply of energy collectively the United States creates up to 482,247 billion kilowatts of electricity annually. Renewable energy creates many new jobs and other economical benefits in 2011 the wind energy directly employed 75,000 full time employees and more 500 companies manufacture parts wind turbines and it only continues to grow as wind energy develops. Solar energy employed more than 100,000 employees and hydro or tidal power created 250,000 jobs. Companies involved in renewable energy create positive effects on economies in countries. Using clean energy is much more reliable than other sources that are used because solar wind energy is widely spread and does not just supply electricity to one area. For example if a hurricane knocked out a fossil…

    • 975 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Solar energy is considered a “green” source of energy. Green sources of energy became a big role in the economy around the 1970’s when there was a period of time when there was a shortage of fossil fuels. Many subsidies were funded from the government for further research on green energy at that time, and specifically solar energy. People were desperate to find substitutes for energy since the price of oil was basically doubling overnight. After all the funding, by the 1990’s, solar energy costs had dropped as predicted and it was looking very promising for more funding and the beginning of solar energy being introduced instead of the scarce…

    • 879 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Solar Energy Facts

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages

    * Solar energy is an extremely clean energy source. It is environmentally healthier than traditionally fossil related forms of energy since it does not emit any known pollutants to the environment.…

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the most popular renewable sources is solar system which is energy that comes from the sun directly to earth. Solar panels…

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Solar energy has the greatest potential of all the sources of renewable sources and if only a small amount of this form of energy could be used, it will be one of the most important supplies of energy especially when other sources in the country have depleted.…

    • 6281 Words
    • 26 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Solar energy is of the most resourceful sources of alternative energy. It is the most important of the non-conventional sources of energy, because it does not pollute the earth. "One of the reasons for this is that the total energy we receive each year from the sun is around 35,000 times the total energy used by man." (Alternative energy sources) Solar energy can be converted directly or indirectly into alternative forms of energy. People use solar energy for many things, but most of it is used for heating, cooling, transportation and the generation of electricity. When the sun 's rays are…

    • 1147 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Solar Panel Report

    • 3901 Words
    • 16 Pages

    The world’s energy demands increase year after year, while its resources are consistently being depleted in order to sustain these energy demands. These limited resources will one day be no more. A dependable source of renewable energy must be found. Currently solar energy is not efficient enough to sustain the population. However, the technology is constantly advancing, and solar energy could one day be that source.…

    • 3901 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Solar Energy

    • 580 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Solar energy is a term that usually means the direct use of sunlight to produce…

    • 580 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    When all of our natural fossil fuels are low or gone, solar energy will be one of the leading sources of energy that we will need in the future.…

    • 1534 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Solar Panels

    • 616 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Solar Panels, also known as Solar Cells, convert solar energy into electrical energy. When sunlight hits the solar panel it knocks electrons loose from their atoms and then they move through the built in circuit, thus creating a current of energy. This energy can be stored in batteries for later use or it can be used right away.…

    • 616 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Soucouyant

    • 337 Words
    • 2 Pages

    -Solar panels can be owned by residents and can be a smart way to consume money and an environmentally friendly way of using and making energy.…

    • 337 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Furthermore, renewable energy is a very niche market. It makes up only 8% of the total energy industry. SolarWorld’s practice, active solar technology, occupies just 1% of the total renewable energy due to its high cost and capital investment. This leaves a big hole for threat of substitutes such as coal, nuclear or natural gas energy, which are mostly the primary choice before renewable energy.…

    • 577 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Environmental Benefits of Solar Solar Panels Produce Electricity with Zero EmissionsSolar energy generated via solar panels (also known as Photovoltaic Solar or PV solar) is one of the most sustainable ways we have of generating energy and electricity today. First and foremost solar panels produce electricity without emissions of any kind. The majority of electricity we use in the United States today is generated from burning coal. Recently there has been a lot excitement around the idea of clean coal, but it is important to remember that this technology only exists as a concept and many experts doubt it will ever be commercially feasible. Solar panels are a proven, time tested, highly evolved technology and are ready for use now, and as the industry expands solar panels are becoming increasingly effective and cost efficient.Other Alternative Energy Technologies have Serious Environmental IssuesOther alternative energy technologies like nuclear reactors and hydroelectric dams pose both policy challenges and unfortunate environmental consequences when compared to PV solar. Nuclear reactors create hazardous waste that is piling up at power plants across the nation, and by the time the first nuclear waste storage facility might be finished, all of its available storage space will already be spoken for. In comparison, generating electricity with hydroelectric dams doesn’t result in the emission of greenhouse gases, but it does have disastrous effects on the ecosystem in and around the river it interrupts.Go Solar and Reduce Your Carbon Emissions by 23,000 pounds!The average American home uses more than 11,000kWh of electricity every year, resulting in the emission of 23,122lbs per year of CO2 from burning coal. By comparison, the average automobile in the United States is responsible for emitting approximately 14,600lbs of CO2 into the atmosphere in a given year. This means that for every American home that converts to solar energy and PV solar, the resulting…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays