Solar Energy and Environment

Introduction

The sun provides tremendous energy for all life sustaining activities. Providing constant energy and light, the sun acts as a renewable energy source that contributes to warming our environment, lighting our skies, and for sustaining plant life. To capture this renewable and sustaining energy of the sun, solar energy and photovoltaic cells (PV) are widely used as a means of trapping this heat source. Photovoltaics arose because they were perfect match for America's need for abundant, domestic energy sources. On a national basis, PV generation nets 3 million kW of power, less than 1% of the nation's total energy supply.

Photovoltaics can be used anywhere for any application requiring electricity, including the power of an industry. The sun is a huge resource and solar technology can be used by anyone, on a local, individual level to industrial and commercial standards. Solar energy produces no greenhouse gases, reducing the probability of global warming and climate change. In addition, PV releases no atmospheric emissions. Its use would curtail air pollution, which contributes to acid rain, soil damage, and human respiratory ailments.

History

The first modern PV cell was developed in 1954. However, it was not until 1958 that the first cost-effective application was used. It was onboard the Vanguard Satellite that was in orbit in the late 1950's. This historic satellite set the stage for increased PV usage. In the 1960s, photovoltaics were used to power space satellites, after the success of the Vanguard Satellite. But, it took the oil embargos of the 1970s to spark the rise of attention given to solar energy and to grasp this technology's potential. The country wanted an abundant, domestic energy source and photovoltaics were the perfect match. Since the 1970s, research has been conducted to make photovoltaics a major contributor to our global energy portfolio.

Solar Advantages

Solar energy advantages include:

Free, sustainable, and plentiful sunlight energy,

Cost effective alternatives in areas where extending a utility power line is very expensive,

Require little maintenance and have no moving parts,

Produce electricity without polluting the environment. Estimated that by 2030, assuming present PV growth trends, PV systems would offset 222 million tons of CO2 yearly - equivalent to that produced by 50 million cars.

Reliable power with the capability of storing such power in batteries for extended and saved life.

Solar Energy

We live in a world in which our incredibly high levels of energy consumption and the heavy reliance on the fossil fuels that produce this energy tend to dictate not only our spending patterns, but our lifestyles as well. As our fossil fuel reserves continue to dwindle more and more, this lifestyle that we have become accustomed to in the latter half of the twentieth century will become more and more threatened. Not only does continued use of fossil fuels threaten our environment, but the impending depletion of fossil fuels also brings into question how, exactly, are we going to produce electricity in the future, in order to continue this way of life that we have become accustomed ...