Solar energy is an environmentally friendly and renewable form of electricity. It reduces the emissions of greenhouse gasses that cause global warming.
Solar industry advancements have seen major breakthroughs in the past few years. From longer-lasting cells to printable solar cells that can directly be printed on flexible surfaces, to power plants that operate at night, there are many.
Photovoltaics
Solar photovoltaics is a method of harnessing the sun’s energy to create electricity. This can be used in a variety of ways, from small electronic devices to homes and commercial buildings. In today’s society, photovoltaic energy is used to power electronics like smartphones and home entertainment systems.
Photovoltaic (also known as PV) cells are composed of semiconductor materials that absorb solar energy. They then convert it into electrons which ‘bounce around’ within the semiconductor atoms to provide power.
The “bounced” electrons create an electrical current. This current is collected on the metal plates that are placed either side of the cell, and then sent to an inverter to be converted into AC current for use in homes and other structures.
The photovoltaic industry has existed since the 1950s. However, initially high production costs hampered mass adoption. Photovoltaics are more competitive and cost-effective than other power sources as the technology has improved.
Solar thermal concentrating
Concentrated solar thermal is a form of renewable energy which uses mirrors to reflect, concentrate and focus the sun’s heat onto an area with heat-retaining fluid, then converts this heat into steam which powers an electricity-generating turbine.
Thermal energy storage (TES) can be used as a way to store energy and produce electricity on cloudy or nightly days, as well.
A parabolic trough system, the most prevalent CSP technology, utilizes long curved mirrors to focus sunlight onto liquid (usually oil) that runs inside an adjacent tube and heat it at high temperatures so as to convert into steam and drive an electricity-generating turbine.
A power tower CSP system uses many large heliostats that track the sun’s rays and focus them onto a receiver at the top of a tall, tower. The heat from the concentrated sunlight that hits this receiver heats up molten sodium, which then boils water to produce steam and power generators.
Wind Power
Wind power can be used to generate electricity. It is an example of renewable energy, and it has been gaining popularity due to concerns about global warming. The appeal of wind power lies in its clean and sustainable characteristics. It is also affordable. This has made it a trend that is growing due to concerns about global warming.
The wind turbine is made up of large blades which convert the energy from the wind into mechanical power. This power then goes to a generator, which transforms it to electricity.
The electricity travels through a shaft in a tower, before it is fed into the power grid to be distributed to homes and business.
Although wind power is easy to install, it does not have the same reliability as traditional coal-fired energy plants.
Biofuels
Biofuels made from animal or plant biomass are an environmentally friendly energy source that does not harm the environment. They are an important part of any sustainable energy mix.
Biofuels are being used by more countries to combat the energy shortage challenges.
In the United States for example, the government encourages or mandates the use of different types of biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel.
The production of biofuels poses environmental and land use challenges. Some biofuels emit high levels of greenhouse gases (GHG) depending on the type of feedstock they use. They also compete with food crops on land that is not suitable for agricultural use. Therefore, it is important to integrate sustainability governance into biofuel support strategies.
