SOLAR ENERGY

How does this technology work?
Solar power cells change sunlight into electricity, using the energy of speeding photons to create an electrical current within a solar panel. Photons are created in the center of the sun by the fusion of atoms.

How could this energy source be used?
Solar energy can be used for day lighting, cooking, heating water or other fluids, distillation, disinfection, making saline water potable and high temperature process heating.

What are some examples of its current use?
The most obvious use of solar energy is to generate electricity for your house. You can choose a full solar electrical system and completely remove yourself from the grid (local power company), or you can choose a partial system using the grid as a back-up or nighttime power.

What effects does it have on the environment?
Solar energy is renewable and will never run out, which allows for the preservation of our natural resources while lessening our reliance on fossil fuels. Solar energy emits no toxins into the air, significantly reducing harmful air pollution and improving air quality.

Is this technology widely accepted today?
Today it is used widely for many things. Solar thermal or heat energy is used widely in Australia for heating water for their domestic use in Solar Water heaters. This is an excellent and economic energy solution as, by using the sun's heat for making hot water, cut down on the amount of fossil fuels needed to be burnt to supply electricity to do the same thing. The technology is now developing which will use solar thermal energy to produce steam at high enough temperatures and pressures to drive steam turbines for electricity generations.

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE (1)

• Pros-
• Abundant
• Sustainible
• Environmental friendly

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE (2)

• Cons-
• Expensive
• Requires space
• Intermittent