Certain materials have a property known as the photoelectric effects. This property allows them to absorbs photos of sunlight and release electrons. Capture of these free electrons results in an electric current. Through photovoltaics, light is converted directly into electricity.
Solar power can be produced by heat engines or photovoltaics. Some applications for solar technologies include heating and cooling, potable water through distillation and disinfection, hot water, thermal energy for cooking and process heat for industrial purposes.
Solar power can be produced by heat engines or photovoltaics. Some applications for solar technologies include heating and cooling, potable water through distillation and disinfection, hot water, thermal energy for cooking and process heat for industrial purposes.
Solar energy can be scaled to individual use (such as solar cookers or rooftop panels used to heat a home), to communities, or to industry in the deployment of solar concentrating power arrays.
Solar technologies are characterized as either passive or active. Active uses photovoltaic panels or solar thermal collectors to convert solar energy to electrical energy.
Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the sun, selecting materials with thermal properties and designing buildings that take advantage of natural properties of insolation.
Deriving energy from solar power is 85 times more efficient than growing corn for ethanol. On a single plot of land, enough ethanol can be produced to drive a car 30,000 miles per year. If the same acreage was covered with photos cells, the car could be driven 2,500,000 miles per year.
Solar power has been developed since the 1950s. This technology has advanced due to its use in the space industry. The energy crisis in the 1970s brought the idea of using solar power to provide electricity for individuals and industries on Earth to the forefront.
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