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Is Solar Energy Renewable ? |
The energy used in modern society for all kinds of purposes can be described as either conventional or renewable, but sometimes it's not clear exactly what is meant by these terms. All conventional energy is derived from fuels found underground in the form of gas, oil and coal. These three forms produce the driving force for 99% of all human activity on the planet. The energy trapped inside these fuels is concentrated and has provided energy for the people of the world for 300 years or so. Renewable solar energy is the key to the future. Unfortunately, over that past 50 years, the rate of use has accelerated dramatically and is now following an exponential curve. This is having two effects. Firstly, very soon, there will not be enough energy to go round and civilization is in danger of grinding to a halt - literally! Secondly, even though enormous, the planetary ecosystem can no longer support the extra carbon dioxide produced by this kind of enery and the planet is heating up.We can no longer keep using up all the natural fuel reserves, but need an energy source that is easily renewed - is solar energy renewable? (Continued below ..) |
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It's true that all energy comes from the sun, because oil, gas and coal originally came from trees, which grew by slar heat, but when we talk about solar energy, we mean something relatively instantaneous and available, which doesn't pollute. The main solar energy options are photovoltaic panels, for generating electricity and thermal sysems, for heating water. Generating electricity from the sun is particularly interesting, as we use this form of energy for many things in our everyday lives. Unfortunately, the solar panels containing the photovoltaic cells are expensive and will be so for the foreseeable future, unless significant advances in technology are made. This form of energy conversion has no pollution and is renewable. On the down side, the efficiency of such systems is very poor at aound 13%.The second category under our question ' is solar energy renewable ', is the thermal application for hot water systems. Although there a few inventive applications being developed, such as air conditioning, for the most part, solar hot water systems are mostly used for family bathing use and under floor heating systems. Like the photovoltaic systems, thermal solar is eminently renewable and non-polluting. A small solar collector panel are of 4 square metres is sufficient for around 80% of a family's hot water needs, and larger systems can be designed to substanitally supplement home heating requirements. Is solar energy renewable ? The answer is emphatically yes, and as such, represents the solution to mankind's future energy needs.
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