What is Solar Energy

What is Solar Energy?
Heat from the sun has been used by human beings since prehistoric
times. Today, the ever evolving technology has seen big strides
being made in the development and utilization of sun energy;
both in domestic as well as commercial applications. Solar Energy
has become a prevalent alternative source of energy to hydro-
electricity, geothermal, wind and biomass, among others.
Photovoltaic solar panels have been applied in production of
energy of water heating, water distillation, domestic cooking,
lighting and generation of electric energy for industrial purpose.
The panels have solar thermal absorbers which generates energy when
exposed to the sun’s rays. Solar panels are normally made of silicon
crystals; which are either Monocrystalline or polycrystalline
depending on the mode of crystallographic structure. The panels
are normally laid in arrays on roof-tops or mounted on stands
directed to the sunlight. Once they absorb the sun rays, they
convert Solar Energy into electric energy, which is then backed up
in power batteries.

The power stored can then be used for cooking,
heating water or used for industrial energy production.
In the awake of eco-friendly power sources, many industries have
embraced the Solar Energy, and have installed solar
panels either as a primary source of power, or as a booster.
Some governments have also subsidized solar equipments to
encourage the local industries as well as domestic con

Although the potential of Solar Energy is yet to be utilized maximally,
there has been an effort to tap and use it as an alternative source
of energy to human consumption. This is mainly due to its inexhaustible
nature compared to non- renewable energy sources such as coal, natural gas
, oil and uranium, among others. In addition, solar energy does not
have negative implication on the environment unlike the bio-fuels which
are known to cause global warming as a result of emission of harmful gases to
the atmosphere. This ultimately causes unstable atmospheric conditions
characterized by rise in sea water level, drought and floods.

The energy absorbed from the sun in an hour is more than the total amount
of energy used worldwide in a period of one year. This means that if
we can make use of a small fraction of the Solar Energy, then the world
could be free from environmental woes that are currently being experienced
around the globe. Considering the negative effects that bio-
fuels have on the atmosphere, solar energy can be a good alternative
source of energy.

WHAT IS SOLAR ENERGY?