Alternative Energy Sources – Solar Energy Facts
Solar energy is the term used to describe any method from extracting energy or power from the sun. Solar energy is currently used to provide all aspects of power from heating, cooling, cooking, and communications throughout the world. Using solar energy is not a new concept, the most famous conceived use of solar power for an industrial use was in the late 15th century by Leonardo Da Vinci who conceived a system that would make use of solar power by using a series of concave mirrors to heat water. Solar energy is becoming one of the most popular alternative energy sources in the world as we head into the 2nd decade of the 21st century.
Facts about Solar Energy:
-As fossil fuel reserves become increasingly depleted with the associated costs rising, developed countries are beginning to put more effort into developing solar energy capabilities on the national level.
-Developing countries are starting to turn to solar energy as a means to avoid significant infrastructure cost of centralized power grids.
-The sun’s surface temperature is more than 5,700 degrees Celsius. The average temperature on Earth by comparison is only 20 degrees Celsius.
-Solar cells have an average efficiency rating of 15% for converting energy.
-1 KW solar energy unit is approximately equal to the same amount of energy produced by 170 pounds of coal.
-At the time of this writing, the one of the largest solar electric system installed world-wide is in Germany at Bavaria Solarpark. It covers 62 acres of land and has 57,6000 PV panels. The Germans have since opened the Arnstein solar electric plant that produces 12 MW of power from 1,400 moveable solar panels.
-The world’s largest solar power plant is located in the Mojave Desert covering 1,000 acres of land with solar reflectors.
-The Sahara desert could generate more than 300 times the world requirement for power if it was covered by solar panels.
-Japan consumes more than half of the solar panels produced world-wide for home use.
-2 Billion people in the world live without power
-The U.S. Consumes 25 % of the world’s power.
-Photovoltaic (PV or Solar Panels) installations increased by almost 6,000 MW in 2008 doubling the amount installed in 2007. The demand in 1985 by comparison was only 21 MW.
-All solar energy production world-wide still only amounts to less than 0.01% of world-wide energy consumption.
-Solar energy demand has grown at a rate of 30% annually over the past 15 years.
-The U.S. Market for solar power grew to 357 MW in 2008.
- Asia Pacific, Europe, and the United States are forecast to have the most growth in solar energy over the next decade.