Solar Energy – What We Need To Know And What We Need To Teach The Next Generation

What Is Solar Energy?

Solar energy has been topical for a long time, but there has been little and certainly not enough done to educate us and to help us understand what the different energy types are.

Solar energy comes in two forms.  The energy capacity is either ‘collected’ through photovoltaic or thin film cells or via thermal collectors.  The photovoltaic or thin film uses the suns energy into electricity.  Solar thermal energy is completely different.  This uses the heat of the sun to generate heat for us such as water heaters, pool heaters or general homes and buildings, it does not however, convert it into electricity for use on other appliances.

Why Do We Need To Change?

There are many theories about what is happening environmentally across the globe, but here are some of the facts which are worthy of respect:

• Fossil fuels will run out
• Fossil fuel prices are prone to fluctuation and with the current global economic situation as well as the social issues in come of the countries which control fossil fuels; the prices are more likely to rise than fall.
• Fossil fuels produce pollutants, which affect our air quality.
• Breathing related illness are increasing and more and more children are suffering with this.
• We only have two options for the future; renewable or alternative energy sources.
• Nuclear seems to be the most likely replacement of fossil fuels, but with Chernobyl still in our memories and watching the consequences of the Fukushima plant, there is clearly still progress needed.
• Nuclear energy is an alternative energy and not a renewable.
• Renewable energies will never run out, they are, as their name suggests, naturally renewed.

We cannot rely on the future of fossil fuels and at the moment the confidence in nuclear power has been undermined – so we need to understand our options and know that now is the time to act.

Understanding Your Energy Choices (solar power category)

As explained above there are different types of energy available to us in this time of change.  Below is a list of the different energy types:

• Coal
• Oil
• Gas
• Nuclear
• Biomass
• Hydroelectric
• Solar heat/thermal
• Wind power
• Geothermal
• Biofuel
• Solar photovoltaic / thin film

This list is everything, renewable, alternative and fossil! Globally we will be dependent of a range of these; there is not one single source suitable.

But for your home your choices are limited to: solar photovoltaic, solar thermal and of course traditional fossil driven electricity from your local grid.

Swapping To Solar Panels (solar panels category)

People have built homes which are completely run from renewable energies.  Unfortunately these homes are expensive and the concepts work, but cannot be simply transferred to some of our current properties.

However, what we can all do is start to replace some of our usage with solar energy.  Solar panels for the home are very advanced and they are available to all of us now.

The original solar panel installation was a problem for many homes as the structures of some buildings was simply not suitable.  This issue has been resolved as we now have the third generation of solar panels available which are much more suitable for the average property.

The other area which has put lots of us off solar power was the hugely high costs involved in converting.  This has been over come in several ways.  Firstly, there is less adaption of our homes needed.  Secondly the development of the solar industry means that this technology is more efficient as specifically developed for the home.  The final change is that governments want us to change and there are now grants available in most areas to help the transition away from fossil fuels.

So how do you actually get your solar power working? (solar panel kits category)

There are three basic routes to converting some or all of your home usage to solar power.

Firstly you can DIY it – yup – you can actually get all the bits and Do It Yourself.  This is obviously the cheapest way.  (And I am sure that you could use the skills learnt afterwards to help those around you).

The second option is the half way one – you choose and buy your solar kit and then you choose from a list of registered installation companies and individuals to fit it all up for you.

The third and most expensive, but easiest route, is to chose a company and pay for them to review your home, work out the best system for your property and for them to install this.  Quite a lot of cents – but less grey hairs and general stress.

The Technical Bit – What Is Photovoltaic?  (photovoltaic category)

Photovoltaic is the technology behind converting solar heat into electricity.  When people refer to solar electricity is generated by the photovoltaic system.  Photovoltaic technology is used in more than 100 countries and is the fastest growing power generating technology.

When the sun hits a photovoltaic cell the photons of light activate the electrons and make them move, creating an energy which is converted into electricity. (A summary of years of research and billions of dollars – into one simple sentence!!!)

You will also hear and have read above about thin film panels.  These are also photovoltaic.  The silicon inside a thin film, essential for the photovoltaic success is main difference between the traditional panels and these.

The thin films are as the name suggests, thin.  This means that they are considerably lighter and therefore much more usable on the average building.

They are slightly less efficient and slightly more expensive, but in the 5 years leading up to 2009 solar power was averaging an annual increase of around 60 percent.  This increase is primarily due to the advances such as the thin film photovoltaic panels. So we now have a access to a technology which was previously unusable to the majority of us.