While the effects of climate change are becoming more apparent and intense, many people are still not quite aware of what causes these changes in the first place. In fact, many are still under the misconception that changes in climate are purely natural phenomena and there is no direct correlation between human behavior and the climate. Truth is, the world we live in is affected by many aspects which are either human-made or influenced by humans in some way. One such factor is the energy that we use. Most people are not conscious of the fact that what they use and how they use it has an effect on the environment and on the people around them. This article is going to explore how solar energy works and how you can be more eco-friendly by switching to renewable energy sources.
How Does Solar Energy Work?
When the Sun starts shining brightly, bringing with it the hot summer days, you might be inclined to reach for your solar garden tools to start preparing your outdoor space for the new season. However, if you want to be eco-friendly and reduce your carbon footprint, you might want to consider doing it the other way around. Instead of preparing your outdoor space for the summer, why not wait for the summer to show up and prepare your space for outdoor living? This way, you ensure that you consume less energy in the process and contribute less to global warming.
What is solar energy, how does it work, and what are the different kinds that you can use? Let’s explore.
What Is Solar Energy?
Solar energy is the energy that comes from the Sun. It’s actually the energy of the light that we see every day. This light comes in all colors, from yellow to red, but its primary colors are blue and green. These are the same colors as the Sun itself. Just like the Sun, the energy of light is almost unlimited. It’s just a matter of capturing it effectively.
Types Of Solar Energy
Depending on where you are in the world, the Sun provides you with different kinds of energy. In the Northern Hemisphere, for example, you’ll find most people use energy from the Sun during the day. This is because the Sun is high in the sky and therefore directly visible. You don’t need extra lighting to see what’s going on. So, if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, you’ll see most people are probably into solar power. This is because they can easily capture the Sun’s energy during the day and use it however they want.
In the Southern Hemisphere, though, the Sun is lower in the sky. This means that even though it provides you with energy, most people in this region need to store it in some way for later use. In this case, they usually use energy from the Sun at night, when the Sun is not directly visible. Even in this case, though, some people still prefer to use solar power over traditional modes of electricity generation because they consider the environment to be a priority.
Renewable Versus Non-Renewable
Although the Sun gives off unlimited energy, this energy cannot be stored indefinitely. This is why when you reach your hand into the pocket of a solar power system, you’ll feel a distinct difference from your standard power generator. These systems are not equipped to store as much energy as what you get from the Sun. This means when the Sun does its thing and provides you with energy, you’re going to be using it immediately. There’s no such thing as a standby generator with a solar panel. You always need to be connected to the electrical grid in case the Sun does not shine or if there is no grid connection available. Otherwise, you’ll have no way to store the energy. It’ll just be gone.
This being said, even when the Sun is not directly visible, you’re still able to use its energy in some way. For instance, if you live in a warmer climate than most people, you might want to consider using passive solar energy, otherwise known as free solar energy. With this, all you need is the Sun to provide you with enough energy to keep your home at an appropriate temperature. During the day, as the Sun’s energy increases the temperature of the house, at night its energy decreases, allowing the house to come back down to earth. You can use this energy to power appliances such as kettles, water heaters, space heaters, and even ice makers. If space is no object and you want to get your hands on as much solar energy as possible, you might want to look into investing in a solar attic fan. This is an electrical appliance that mounts on the top of your roof. It’s basically a propeller fan with solar cells on the surface. When the Sun shines on it, it gets hot. This is why most solar attic fans are made with heat-resistant materials, as it would be dangerous to have plastic or wooden materials withstanding extreme heat. Once the Sun starts lowering the temperature, you can turn off the fan. It is very efficient at conserving energy and doesn’t require any maintenance.
The important thing to note about non-renewable energy is that it’s going to run out one day. This means that eventually, there’ll be no more energy available for you to capture. When this happens, all your electronics and appliances are going to stop functioning. You’ll have to switch to a more energy-efficient mode of operation or buy new ones. The same goes for your home appliances, computers, and even mobile phones. In some cases, you might even have to upgrade hardware or build new appliances to effectively operate within your existing energy budget.
The good thing about renewable energy is that it’s going to be continuously provided to you, even when the Sun does not shine directly on it. This is due to the fact that you’ve got the ability to generate more energy than what you need. In many cases, you can even generate energy when the Sun is not directly visible. For example, you can generate energy from the Wind by using a wind turbine. Alternatively, you can photovoltaic power generation, otherwise known as solar power generation. With this, you literally catch the Sun’s energy and convert it into electricity through panels made of thin layers of semiconductors, which act as photoelectric converters. When the Sun shines on these panels, they effectively convert this light into usable electrical energy. Due to these panels being very efficient at converting light into electricity, you can literally find many places where this energy can be used.
Eco-Friendly Versus Energy-Efficient
While some power sources, such as nuclear energy and fossil fuels, generate their own unique types of waste, most solar energy sources do not. This means when you generate your own solar power, there is no waste. Even if you don’t sell any energy to the grid, you’re still not creating any waste. Instead, you’re just using the energy that comes from above in a more efficient manner. This is one of the reasons why many prefer solar power over traditional power generators. Not only is it more efficient from an energy standpoint, but it’s also a more eco-friendly option. In the long term, using less energy is always a good thing, regardless of where you are in the world.
Many people think that to be eco-friendly, you’ve got to forgo using any type of energy generation. This isn’t necessarily true though. Instead, you can use energy more efficiently and be more eco-friendly by switching to renewable energy sources. When the Sun shines directly on your solar garden tools, you’ll start feeling a difference right away. This is because renewable energy does not emit any harmful gases or particles that contribute to air pollution. It’s also a good option because it is not limited by the resources available on this planet. In the event that renewable energy is not available, you might want to consider using energy more efficiently by switching to a standby generator or a heat pump.
This article is going to explore how solar energy works and how you can be more eco-friendly by switching to renewable energy sources. Keep reading for additional information.