Solar power is a free, non-polluting, renewable resource that is always available. For a long time, experts have been experimenting the most efficient methods of its use. Here are some basic facts on how it is currently being used.
Solar power is very versatile. By using photo voltaic cells it can be converted into electricity. It can be used directly to heat water. When it is used this way it is known as ‘passive solar’ using it to convert to electricity is known as ‘active solar’. Solar energy is received in a weak form which does make it somewhat limiting. If we are to use it effectively then we have to discover a way of harnessing the power and concentrating it.
Solar power has been used in its passive state for many centuries. Examples of this include heating water, lighting fires and drying wood. In places where sunlight is available for most days of the year, solar water heaters are popular. There are also solar power plants which can concentrate the energy of the sun and generate electricity in large amounts. Power plants like these are especially economical and useful in out of the way places where conventional electricity is not always available. Even space craft and satellites make use of solar energy.
In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in using solar power to power motor vehicles. This however is still in the experimental stages. The problem is that a large amount of power is needed to supply the car’s engine and this would mean large solar panels. Large solar panels on a typical car are fragile and their size would also make them impractical. When the sun is not shining, these cars could only run for a short time, meaning that solar power is not yet able to run such vehicles. Also, the weather is not completely predictable and nobody wants their vehicle to come to a sudden stop with no way of restarting it until the sun decides to come out.
The demand for solar power is increasing, but at the moment its cost prevents it being used widely. It is not the lack of technology, but the cost of converting it to useful energy which is prohibitive. However fuel costs are continually rising, and the time will come when solar power will be economically viable. People are also increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of present day fuels, and therefore the demand for clean energy is rising. This increasing demand means that by economy of scale manufacturers will find it more feasible to produce devices which run on solar power.
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