Solar Energy Facts in 2016-2017

Solar Energy Facts in 2016-2017

The Adani Solar Power Plant located in India is the largest solar power plant in the world in 2016.

The Adani Solar Power Plant located in India is the largest solar power plant in the world in 2016.

The Sun is our main source of clean energy because it represents the source of the light and wind on planet Earth, which are used to produce solar and wind energy.The Earth’s surface absorbs the Sun’s radiation unevenly because the land has various formations of ground and water, and while the Sun heats the surface of the planet unevenly, the different layers of air that form the atmosphere are also heated in an uneven way.

The warm layers of air weigh less than the cold layers of air, so they move up in the atmosphere, and this air movement is called wind.

Luckily, the production and use of renewable energy increases every year, and this is happening because more and more people have understood that we need to stop polluting the environment if we want to live in healthy conditions on the planet.

What is solar energy?

Solar energy represents the energy produced by the Sun, and is harvested by solar panels, which must be facing true south for a maximum exposure in the northern hemisphere and true north in the southern hemisphere.

The most efficient solar panels in 2016 have an efficiency of about 21%, so we need to massively improve this clean technology if we want to truly use the huge potential of clean energy provided by the sunlight.

Solar energy has its limitations due to the fact that there is no Sun after sunset, so there is no possibility to produce solar power during the night.

However, during the nights with full moon, solar panels are producing a tiny amount of clean energy.

Facts about Solar Energy in 2016

1. Solar energy is a free source of clean energy on our planet and is available for all of us even if some of us are not aware of this fact.

2. The energy produced by the Sun and sent to Earth under the form of light and heat is harvested in different ways using solar PV (photovoltaic) cells for clean electricity, mirrors that are heating a central point of the solar plant where a reservoir of oil is heated and produces solar thermal energy and by solar heaters for warm water.

3. Solar power is also used by nature in the photosynthesis process, which is made by the green plants and that converts solar energy into chemical energy which feeds the biomass and can be used to produce green energy.

4. Solar power is used by scientists to turn saltwater into drinkable water.
The MIT system is very efficient and can turn about 90% of the saltwater into drinkable water using solar energy.

5. Solar energy is very important in agriculture and horticulture due to the techniques used in timing planting cycles and mixing different plant varieties.

6. There are certain areas in the world where about 60% of the warm water for domestic use is produced only by solar water heating systems.

7. Solar panels and solar thermal plants are considered active solar technologies that are using solar energy to produce clean electricity, while building a house in a certain way to improve air circulation and benefiting from natural light (sunlight) represents a passive use of solar energy.

8. Solar energy represents a natural source of heating for cooking, drying, and pasteurising of different foods.

9. Solar energy is considered an energy source of the future because it produces no harmful emissions into the environment, and can help us to get rid of fossil fuels.

10. More and more homeowners decide to install solar panel systems on the rooftop of their houses in order to produce free and clean electricity and this increases the level of energy independence of their home.

11. Today, the world still relies on fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas, but solar energy along with the other renewable energy sources is becoming more popular all over the world.

The International Space Station (ISS) uses the largest and most efficient solar panels available.

The International Space Station (ISS) uses the largest and most efficient solar panels available.

12. Solar power is the energy source used in space because all the countries are using solar panels to power the International Space Station (ISS) and many other space missions.

13. As time passes, the technology evolves and solar energy will become a more affordable source of clean energy and also a more efficient one.

14. Solar energy will become one of the major clean energy sources of the future because it’s free and is available as long as the Sun lives.

15. The largest solar power plant in the world is today the Adani Solar Power Plant located in India.
The solar power plant is spread on a 2,500 acres land and has the capacity to generate 648 MW of solar energy.

16. Solar panels can reduce the electricity bill of the house. and if you install a larger solar power system on the rooftop of your home, the system will produce enough energy to power the entire house, and also a few neighbors.

17. Solar power is a very practical source of energy because it’s free, produces no noise or pollution and requires only sunlight to work.

18. By using a battery pack that can store solar energy during sunny days, solar energy can become your main energy source during the night and during cloudy days.

19. Solar energy is the source of clean energy used in temporary events like fairs, carnivals, Olympics and so on.

20. Solar panels are wireless because sunlight comes directly from space without any cables.

Carport solar system installed for a parking lot at UC Davis.

Carport solar system installed for a parking lot at UC Davis.

21. Solar energy is the clean energy source used in remote areas like parks and parking lots where the grid is not an option.

22. Once installed, a solar power system will produce solar energy during the day and will require almost no maintenance service during several years of use.

23. Solar energy completes the water cycle on planet Earth due to the fact that the ground, the oceans and the atmosphere absorb the solar radiation.

The water from the oceans evaporates in the upper layers of the atmosphere where clouds are formed, and water returns to the ground due to rains.

24. Ancient populations have used solar energy in passive mode by designing their homes facing south with the windows, and this allowed the Sun to heat and light their rooms.

25. Solar energy helps our bodies to convert a chemical in our skin into vitamin D3, which is then transformed in active vitamin D by the liver and kidneys.

26. Solar energy is used to purify water and the process is called solar distillation.

27. Natural foods like fruits and vegetables are very healthy for our bodies if they were grown in natural soil and under the action of sunlight.

28. Solar energy helps all the living beings on planet Earth providing light and heat, and we can say that the Sun is a life creator for us.

29. China is the world leader in solar power generation capacity, Japan comes second, and Germany is on the third place.

The U.S. is on the fourth place, followed by Italy and the UK.

30. Solar energy can help us live green and sustainable lives without the use of fossil fuels and without polluting the environment.

Sharing is caring!

Leave a Reply