Abstract Abstract Solar Energy: The Eco-Friendly alternative energy source for The world? Solar Energy: The Eco-Friendly alternative energy source for The world?

Solar energy is energy provided by the sun, it is in the form of solar radiation, it can be converted into electrical or thermal energy.

Around the world a movement has begun, one started by environmentalist, this movement is known as the Go Green Movement. The goal of this movement is to make people aware of the damages that we are causing and effective measures to reverse them. The Go Green Movement focuses on creating alternative energy sources so that non-renewable energy resources such as: coal, petroleum and fossil fuel are not exhausted. Most fossil fuels are obtained through mining processes, which can damage the environment. They damage the environment by releasing acid, mercury and sulfates into the atmosphere. Christina Nunez, in her article for National Geographic states that fossil fuels such as coal should, “be left untouched in order to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 2°C.” (Nunez, 1) This indicates that the burning of fossil fuels such as: coal, oil and gas are factors which contribute to global warming. They contribute to global warming by releasing carbon dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere.
In recent years the quandary of having alternate sources of energy has arisen. Solar energy is energy provided by the sun, it is in the form of solar radiation, it can be converted into electrical or thermal energy. It comes in two different forms such as: solar thermal and solar photovoltaic energy. Solar thermal electricity is designed for large scale power generation whereas solar photovoltaic electricity converts sunlight directly into electricity using photovoltaic cells, which are cells when in sunlight photons are absorbed in the solar cells or are reflected and pass right through. Heat carried by water or air from solar thermal can generate energy which is why it is used in hot water systems. Solar photovoltaic systems are used in power plants, cars and on rooftops. When combined they generate heat and electricity. Solar is the greenest energy source because it has little to no effect on the environment, does not produce pollution and it also does no contribute to noise pollution. In the seventh century, glass and the sun was used to generate solar energy. Solar energy is a renewable resource is and once installed needs no maintenance. It is free of monthly charges but includes maintenance fees and installation fees. Alongside wind energy, solar energy has a very small impact on the environment and does not require large plots of land. The Cochin International airport is the first airport in the world that operates solely on solar power. It produces fifty thousand to sixty thousand units of electricity a day which is used for all its operations making it ‘absolutely power neutral’.
In the area of sustainable energy, some experts have found solar energy to be a better alternative to fossil fuels. In today’s society solar energy has been under used, but is used can aide in relieving the current energy crisis around the world. The sun is the earths most important energy source. It provides hydro, biomass, wind and solar energy. Solar energy does not only affect the environment but as the United Kingdom’s energy minister, Gregg Barker stated that it would aid “job creation and deliver the clean and reliable energy supplies that the country needs at the lowest possible cost to consumers.”
There are many positive aspects associated with the use of solar energy. It is accessible in remote areas, where electricity companies cannot install electricity. Although the price of maintaining and installing of solar panels is high in the beginning the benefits overpower initial spending prices, because you will save money on electricity bills. Electricity companies tend to pay their customers for using panels for the energy that they have not consumed. This has been made possible by the introduction of feed-in tariff schemes and net metering. Another advantage of solar energy is that it is renewable, meaning that we cannot run out of solar energy unlike fossil fuels. NASA has estimated that we will have access to the sun for another six and a half billion years, which is long considering that scientist have estimated sun will swallow the earth in about five billion years. Solar panels are low maintenance; they require cleaning about two to three times a year. Many solar manufacturers have a twenty to twenty-five year warranties associated with their solar panels. Solar energy is available all over the world. It is very abundant; the earth receives 120,000 terawatts of energy which is twenty thousand times more energy needed to supply the entire world.
Solar energy does not cause pollution, although there are emissions associated with transporting, installing and manufacturing of solar panels it is not that much in comparison to the burning of fossil fuels. It can be used in places where there is no grid connection, powering satellites in space and to use in Africa to purify and distill the water. Home owners with solar panels can get help from the government and state. Solar panels do no contribute to noise pollution, since there are no moving parts in solar panels.
There are many people that say that solar panels are expensive, which is both true and false. They can also say that it is sporadic energy source. This means that it can only be accessed at certain periods, such as daytime and nighttime. They say that during windy or rainy days or during a storm, however it has less problems than wind power in relation to being interrupted. Another negative aspect of solar panels is that they take up plenty space and require rare materials.
Solar panels are associated with pollution although they do emit less than fossil fuels. There are some greenhouse gases such as sulfur hexafluoride and nitrogen triflouride that are emitted when they are being manufactured. It is also said that the transportation and installation of the solar panels add to the pollution. However, there are many more gases that have a greater impact on global warming in comparison to carbon monoxide. Solar power has more advantages other than the emission of these gases into the atmosphere. They also say that storing the energy is very expensive. Batteries help make solar power more stable but are said to be expensive technologies. However, the demand for energy peaks during the middle of the day and hat is when there is a lot of sunlight. On a cloudless day the sun shines at one thousand watts per square meter, pointed directly at the sun. solar energy is one of the rawest forms of energy and it is one of the eco-friendliest forms of energy in the world.
Although the cost of installing solar panels is quite expensive, the benefits of having it surpasses that. It may be expensive in the beginning but at the end it will help people save a lot of money. It also helps to reduce our carbon footprint and allows the ozone to be able to be there for future generations. The earth’s atmosphere is made up of water carbon dioxide and methane. It is warm enough to sustain life. It acts as a blanket, preventing some of the suns energy from being re radiated into space. The earth’s temperature is a balancing act it depends on the balance between energy entering and leaving the planets system.
Helman Christopher wrote that, “Wal-Mart has installed 105 megawatts of solar panels—enough to power about 20,000 houses—on the roofs of 327 stores and distribution centers (about 6% of all their locations). That’s enough to make Wal-Mart the single biggest commercial solar generator in the country. And it intends to double its number of arrays by 2020.’ Wal-Mart has cut costs by doing what it does best—using its heft to convince its suppliers to risk their own capital to get Wal-Mart what it wants. It gives access to its roof space to Solar-City or other installers, which pay to put up the panels (at a cost of about $1.2 million for the average array). Solar City then sells the power generated to Wal-Mart under a long-term deal—at a price often cheaper than what the local electric utility would charge. “The value proposition is really obvious,” says Ozment, a 66-year-old career electricity exec who has been at Wal-Mart since 2003. “Why put up our own capital?” Even a big cooperation such as Walmart has implemented the use of solar panels not only because it is eco-friendly but it is a wise decision monetarily. Solar power is also referred to as “the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available, and the U.S. has some of the richest solar resources in the world. Modern technology can harness this energy for a variety of uses, including generating electricity, providing light or a comfortable interior environment, and heating water for domestic, commercial, or industrial use.” Solar is the greenest energy source because it has little to no effect on the environment, does not produce pollution and it also does no contribute to noise pollution. In the seventh century, glass and the sun was used to generate solar energy. Solar energy is a renewable resource is and once installed needs no maintenance. Solar energy is an everyday renewable energy source its resources cannot be exhausted and it is safer not only for the environment but for the people that live in the environment.

Solar energy is a renewable resource is and once installed needs no maintenance. Solar energy is energy provided by the sun, it is in the form of solar radiation, it can be converted into electrical or thermal energy. It comes in two different forms such as: solar thermal and solar photovoltaic energy. Solar thermal electricity is designed for large scale power generation whereas solar photovoltaic electricity converts sunlight directly into electricity using photovoltaic cells, which are cells when in sunlight photons are absorbed in the solar cells or are reflected and pass right through. Solar energy is said to represent “the largest renewable resource on the planet – approximately 162 PW – but at present we utilize only about 100 GW. Achieving a sustainable civilization requires a heavier utilization, especially from direct insolation. In conjunction with concerns for a globally changing climate, sustainability requires a widespread displacement of fossil fuels, both in developed countries and those that still are developing electric power for lighting, refrigeration and water.”

Although there are many other forms of renewable energy, solar energy seems to be the best form of renewable energy.it can reused time and time again. Just like every resources it does have some negative aspects associated with it. It does not pose a great threat to the environment and releases little to no pollutants. Although people may say that the primary initial cost is steep it will save you more in the future. Brian Palumbo states that, “The popularity of solar energy has risen as its cost has rapidly decreased since 2005. A Deutsche Bank projection claims that the cost of solar energy will reach grid parity by 2016, and an International Energy Agency report asserts that by 2050, solar energy could be a viable source of electricity worldwide.” The popularity of solar energy is increasing as well as the use of solar panels. Solar energy is an everyday renewable energy source its resources cannot be exhausted and it is safer not only for the environment but for the people that live in the environment. In conclusion solar energy is not only good for humans, animals, future generations but also for the ozone and also helps people to save money and make better choices regarding their future.

Works Cited

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