Ecological awareness has risen considerably in the past few years, and this is why communities all around the world are trying to find better sources of energy that will not deplete the natural resources in the planet. One of the best examples of such is solar power.
Getting energy from the sun can be done using three different methods: passive, active, and with the use of photovoltaic cells. For a building or structure to make use of solar energy, there is no need for generators or turbines. In fact, there is no energy conversion necessary either.
The passive method, which is one of the easiest and most practical applications of solar energy, involves using the sun for the heating and lighting of a building. If you live in a home that is strategically designed to maximize the benefits from solar energy, you can cut down more than 75% of your current electricity consumption.
The active method is based on the idea of using the sun as a primary heat source. This cannot be relied on at all times, such as during night time or cloudy days. Still, this is a good way to keep your bath water warm or increase the room temperature during cold weather.
Probably the most useful way of using solar energy is by converting it into electric energy with the use of solar panels. Most of us have actually used this kind of energy source in calculators or other small devices, but in order to power your home using solar energy alone, you will need a huge budget.
Solar energy is completely renewable and does not harm the environment in any way. However, it obviously cannot be used during night time and cloudy days. It may be stored but this is usually just enough to last for a short time.
Research on the practical use of solar energy has continued to improve over the years. Thanks to these researches, today it is no longer just used on calculators. It can now be found in many homes across the globe. There are even some cars and satellites that run solely on it.
Solar energy is actually powerful enough to make a regular home run efficiently, provided that you have enough solar panels installed. A single kilowatt can actually keep an ordinary appliance running for more than five hours straight.
Experts are hopeful that solar energy can be utilized much more efficiently and with less financial costs in the future. They are also looking into other alternative sources of energy such as wind, wave, geothermal, and other renewable energy sources.
The importance of studying these alternative sources of energy is undeniable but at the same time, governments around the world should start enforcing legislation that will support the use of such energy sources if we want to make this happen in the near future.
There are some nations that have started using solar energy on a larger scale, including Japan and Germany. Other countries in Europe and Asia are already following suit. While talks of green energy sources are abundant in the US, no concrete action plans have been put into place, and we are hoping that this will change soon so that we can have the greener and more secure future that we all want and deserve.