Solar Energy
Since the beginning of humanity, people have relied on the sun for their daily needs. Whether it is to grow the crops that they eat, dry clothes or warm their family, people have relied on the resource of the sun for sustainability. It was not until people started to get the idea of managing this energy source, that people were able to fully take advantage of the sun.
In 1767, a Swiss scientist discovered a practical way to harness the energy of the sun. Horace de Saussure invented the “solar hot box,” the first devise to attract and capture the energy capabilities of the sun. The main uses of this primitive solar box consisted of cooking food, distilling water and pumping water for irrigation. It was not until the 1880’s that America caught on to this new source of energy.
Introduced by John Ericcson, this engineer created solar power engines, used for power steam generators onboard ships. The most famous person credited with exposing solar capabilities to the west, however, was Clarence Kemp, the first man to patent solar water heaters in 1897. His invention caught on so well, that within seven years, thirty-percent of houses in California were using his invention. This was just the beginning of solar energy’s popularity within the US.
In 1908, Carnegie Steel Company’s William J. Bailey produced the solar panels we are most familiar with today. The popularity of the solar power boom peaked around the end of World War I, when “more than 4,000 rooftop solar water heaters had been sold, and more than 60,000 were in place” (EIA). Shortly after this, scientists discovered the possibilities of solar energy in space. Even to date, many satellites and space projects take advantage of this renewable...
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...olar energy has undergone many stages throughout its existence, especially within the United States. At the beginning of its discovery, carried out through its peak in popularity around the 40’s and 50’s, solar energy enjoyed its time in the spot light. Due to limits on where solar plants can be built, inefficiency, unreliability and high prices, the use of this fairly environmentally friendly, renewable energy source has dwindled. While some hope for advances in the methods of collecting solar energy, currently it does not have the ability to meet our world’s ever-growing consumption of energy.
Works Cited
- “Current Uses and Future Prospects.” <http://www.personal.psu.edu>.
- Energy Information Administration (EIA). The U.S. Government.<http://eia.doe.gov>.
- “Solar Power.” Energy Matters. <http://library.thinkquest.org/20331/index.html>.
The Solyndra Company, founded in 2005 by Christian Gronet, designed, manufactured, and sold a unique type of solar panels. They were termed “solar photovoltaic (PV) systems” and were designed for large, flat to low sloped commercial building roofs. The panels were designed to have the best performance when mounted horizontally and to be installed very close together so that they covered a much higher percentage of the roof top thus producing more electricity than the typical flat panel solar panels by comparison. This was created through the production by absorbing light from all directions including indirect and reflected light as well as direct sunlight when combined with a white roof. This was due to the design of having rolled its copper indium gallium selenite or CIGS into a cylindrical shape. Each tube had 40 of them in each 1-meter-by-2-meter panel (Solyndra, 2008).
It will be interesting to see if solar panel saunas are a thing of the future or if they will be developed to efficiently in our homes of the present. If power can be collected by the energy of the sun and then used to heat our home sauna then it will be a great energy saver.
Lof, George. “Solar Energy: An Infinite Source of Clean Energy.” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. Vol 410:52
When you stop to think about the earth we live on, you begin to realize how much of it we take for granted. The planet earth is teaming with millions of living organisms and countless mountain tops. This way of thinking could also lead you to ask the questions, “Where did our major source of energy come from?” To answer the questions, most living things depend on the sun as their ultimate energy source. Let me elaborate on that point more, what we have going on, on earth is more or less a system. A system is defined as a network of independent components and processes, with materials and energy flowing from one component of the system to another (McGraw-Hill, 2013). When describing how most living things on earth use the sun as their ultimate source of energy the following things are factored; Photosynthesis, herbivory, predation, and decomposition. Separate, it seems as though they have nothing to do with each other, but when you put them together it makes it clear how these factors are most living things sourc...
The sun has been a major aspect of life since the beginning of time. People used many other forms of energy before electricity was discovered. There has been a debate over energy resources for years. Many people are worried about what current energy resources may be doing to the environment. Oil spills and nuclear power plant mishaps have only been a few accidents that have had a big impact on the environment and the people who inhabit it. There are plenty of energy sources that do not harm the environment and are still able to get the job done. Solar energy is one energy alternative that will insure the betterment of the country and, at the same time, protect the natural environment.
Before the 1970’s, people thought that all life on earth derived from energy provided by the sun. As human beings, yes, it is essential for our bodies. We absorb sunlight through our skin and produce essential vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. The sun also warms our planet making living conditions tolerable. Without the sun our planet would be extremely cold and impossible to live on. Plants and animals also need the sun for existence. In fact, humans, animals and plants need the sunlight, for it is the main source for the creation of our food. Imagine living in temperatures as high as 200°F or as low as 100° below zero. Or consider jumping into a pool of bleach or gasoline. These conditions would be fatal to the average
well. People are starting to question solar energy like is it polluting the earth? Is it really better
Our Sun continuously converts hydrogen into helium and with this process it provides the essentials for life processes. In doing this it controls “our climate, provides light, raises tides, and drives the food chain” (Schaefer 34). Our Sun also has influenced many beliefs now and in the past. History has documented Sun worshipping religions while many current societies use solar calendars (Schaefer 34).
I. With the world’s supply of oil running dry the Unites States must begin looking into new sources of energy, and the most promising is solar power.
Solar thermal energy is dead! A solar thermal heating system can cost upwards of $7,000 to install and it most likely won't even save you too much money. This is why many people debate over whether they should use a solar thermal water heating system, because they think they are saving money, or an inexpensive traditional water heating system. A traditional heating system is a system that is powered off of electricity, gas, oil or some other fuel. A solar thermal heating system uses the energy from the sun, hence “solar”, and it turns that energy into hot water to either heat a home or to provide domestic hot water. The energy from the sun is captured by energy collectors, also known as solar panels. The water is heated inside the panels and then distributed throughout the home for use or stored in a tank for later use. The ideas behind this sound great, but in reality that is not the case.Solar thermal energy is not the best choice for home heating a home or hot water heating.
Solar is a viable alternative energy source with solar panels becoming more affordable and more efficiently designed.
How Efficient is Solar Energy Technology? Engineering Challenges. n. d. a. d. a. d. d. 8 April 2014. http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9082.aspx>. How do Nuclear Plants Work?”
Tapping into the Sun: Help Your Country and Your Wallet--install a Solar Hot-water Heater. Provey, Joe. "Tapping into the Sun: Help Your Country and Your Wallet--install a Solar Hot-water Heater." Popular Mechanics Feb. 2006: 81+.General OneFile. Web. 14 May 2014.http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA141255299&v=2.1&u=mlin_n_great&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=97ec8...
I am certain that all have heard of the terms greenhouse gases, fossil fuels, and global warming. Have you ever questioned what will happen if nothing is done about the environmental problems facing the world today? What if I answer you that, we can merely use the power from the sun to power up our entire planet without the use of harmful energy sources, which affect our atmosphere? The power from the sun is what we call solar power. Solar power is the energy that comes from the sun as light and heat energy, and then it is later converted into electrical energy through solar panels (Nelson, 2008).
One of the most compelling arguments for the use of renewable energy is how many forms exist of it. Nuclear power, solar power, wind power, tidal power, hydroelectric power, pumped storage, wave power, geothermal power, biomass, and biogas are the most widely known renewable energy sources (Darvill, 2013). This large selection of fuels supports the idea of renewable fuels one day powering the entire planet. All the sources of energy have different niches and benefits. Solar energy is extremely ef...