Introduction to Solar Energy

The Sun, our nearest and the biggest star, is the biggest source of energy to us. Sun energy or the solar energy has been in use since the time human existed on the earth. Solar energy is  our essential need and we need it naturally to make our life work properly. Sun has  a lot of stories and histories attached to it, for most of the humans of the world, Sun is God, it is a Holy part of religion to many tribes like the American Native Tribe, it is also worshipped by the Greek people, where as many other religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and  Druids of England take Sun as the priority of their religion. 

Solar Water Heater:

in old times in America, the sun water heaters were used to get warm water inside homes and for businesses. This method to get warn water is old and it was affordable for most of the people. With the growth in time, and the mechanical facilities where created for human use.

The solar water heaters then gradually were replaced by electric heaters that uses fossil fuels. These solar water heaters covered most of the places in America, but later with the discovery of large deposits of natural gas and oil in United States the solar water heaters totally were replaced by heaters burning with fossil fuels. Today again the solar water heater method has returned, most of the homes in California uses this equipment to heat the water that supply at homes and other business places. this method is also used to heat the water in swimming pools and panels of the buildings to get warm water.

Solar Thermal Electricity:

Of course solar energy can be used in creating electricity. one good example of California Mojave Dessert can explain the method of how solar energy can be used in creating electricity. in the solar power plant, one big curved mirror is used of which the central point is running pipeline. the central point of the mirror focuses on the pipeline so that the heat it receives heats the pipe as well, this pipe gets so hot that can turn water into steam and the steam can be used in moving turbine to create electricity. the solar power plants use a lot of mirrors above the pipelines to get heat and then create electricity. but these solar power plants are partially useless since they only make electricity in the daytime and night they are not capable to create electricity. These solar power plants are turned into hybrid as they can work only in daytime and in time they work by natural gas burning so that electricity doesn’t go low at any time. another part is Central Tower Power Plant that is also capable to light up 10,000 electricity. in this case of central tower power plant scientists say that if larger plant is built it can supply electricity that can be sent to 100,000 to 200,000 homes.

Solar Cells:

solar energy can be used in converting the solar energy directly into solar cells. this method carries sunlight directly and the method can be best used on billboards or turning on the appliances at homes and offices.