You may have heard about solar power, also known as solar energy or solar electricity. It’s a way of generating electricity using solar energy, which means it mainly depends on the sun’s energy output and not on any one source of energy, such as coal or natural gas. When the sun shines, it heats up the earth, and when the sun is not shining, the temperature drops, usually down to or below freezing. That’s because the sun emits heatless light (photons), which allow for photosynthesis to take place, converting carbon dioxide into fuel sources for plants.
You may have also heard that solar power is a sustainable energy source because it’s renewable and doesn’t contribute to climate change. That’s partially true, but it isn’t totally accurate. While solar energy isn’t harmful to the environment in the slightest, it’s not entirely clean, either.
1. It’s Not As Easy To Generate Electricity With Sol
You may think that all you need to do to generate electricity is put a solar panel on your roof and connect it to a battery, and that the electricity will be available whenever you need it. While that’s true, it’s not that easy. There are a lot of complexities involved in generating electricity with solar power, as you’ll see below.
2. The Sun Shines Continuous Light And Darker Spots
There’s a lot of buzz about the future of solar energy at the moment, mainly thanks to the plummeting costs associated with solar panel production. The cost of a solar panel has dropped by 66% in just the last five years, meaning you can buy a whole house system (that includes solar panels, a battery, and a charge controller) for less than what it costs to buy just one.
As mentioned above, the sun shines continuously, but not all of its light is useful to generate electricity. The type of light is called photonic, and it has no warmth at all. This type of light mostly shines at night and doesn’t really contribute to photovoltaic generation of electricity. This is why people mostly talk about solar power when referring to the sun during the day when it’s not directly facing the earth, but above the horizon. So even though the sun is always shining, you can’t always rely on it to generate electricity.
3. You Need The Right Location For Maximum Production
You need to consider where you’ll position your solar panels, as the sun’s energy is captured by atoms in the panel’s silicon and then turned into electricity. The more direct the sun is, the more electricity you’ll generate. So if you live in a region where the sun is directly overhead during the day, you may not need to adjust your positioning at all – you’ll get the maximum production out of your solar panels.
4. Insolation (the Amount Of Light That Gets Reflected Back) Is Critical
The amount of light that gets reflected back from a surface is called insolation. The more light that gets reflected, the more electricity you’ll generate from solar power. Therefore, you need to position your solar panels so that they’re facing the sun and maximise its effect. You do this by ensuring that your roof is free of any obstructions such as trees or shrubs. These can reduce the amount of light that gets reflected and, as a result, decrease the amount of electricity generated.
5. The More Sunlight, The More Electricity You’ll Generate
Light reflects back from smooth surfaces, so the smoother your roof’s surface, the more sunlight that will get reflected and the more electricity you’ll generate. Flat roofs work best as they don’t have any dips or rises that might obstruct the sun’s rays.
6. The More You Use It, The More You’ll Generate
The more you use electricity, the more you’ll produce, so if you plan on using electronics at all hours, you may as well go for a whole house system that has its own generator (solar panels connected to a battery bank). This is especially useful if you’re worried about running out of electricity during a power outage (which can happen during a storm or when the sun isn’t shining directly on the solar panel surface). Having your own generator allows you to continue supplying electricity even when the power supply is down – it also means you avoid price fluctuation as it’s directly linked to the sun’s energy output.
7. The More You Mass Produce, The Cheaper It Gets
When you mass produce anything, the cost decreases, so if you want to generate electricity using solar power, you should consider buying a few panels until you can mass produce affordable prices. The more you produce, the more you’ll save, so this is the way to go if you want to generate electricity using this fuel source freely without having to worry about the cost.
8. The Sun’s Energy Output Will Increase As The Earth Gets Further From The Sun
As the earth gets further from the sun, the less sunlight is reflected back into space and the more it heats up. The more heat that is trapped by the atmosphere, the more the sun’s energy output will increase, resulting in more warmth and more light being reflected back into space. This is why locations closer to the sun have brighter and sunnier days while those further away have darker and more sinister days. So if you’re further away from the sun, you may want to consider moving to a warmer climate or purchasing some shade sails to stop the sun’s rays from directly hitting your solar panels during the hottest hours of the day.
9. More Than Half Of The Energy Comes From Low-Wage Labor
More than half of the energy generated by solar power comes from low-wage labor, which is generally performed by people who live in developing nations. The cost of generating electricity using this fuel source is about the same as that of coal-fired power, but you’ll be doing something good for the environment by choosing this option. The main reason for this is that the installation of solar panels on a home or business owner’s roof doesn’t require highly skilled labor and can, therefore, be done by anyone. This keeps the cost low and means the benefits of solar power extend to more people.
10. Most Buildings Are Not Energy Self-sufficient
Most buildings are not energy self-sufficient, which means they depend on the mains electricity supply for their energy needs. When the power goes out, we often find ourselves in a situation where we need to find alternative forms of energy, such as fuel oil or gas, to keep the home appliances running. When this happens, we run the risk of carbon emissions and climate change. However, with a home generator, you cut out the need to run back to the grid for energy, so this is generally seen as a good thing.
Overall, solar power is a great way to generate electricity and is becoming more and more affordable. We need to protect ourselves from its harmful UV rays however, so make sure you always wear sunscreen and protective sunglasses when outdoors. You can also keep an eye out for panels that are specifically designed for shade – these will prevent a lot of UV radiation that would otherwise reach your eyes and damage them. Finally, make sure to charge up your battery at least once every two weeks to maintain good health. If you keep all of these tips in mind, you’ll be able to generate electricity using solar power without any harmful effects to your health or the environment. So go ahead and start generating your own power today!