EA 2020

The sun bathes the Earth in energy every single day of the year. It puts more energy out in a day than humans create in a year through other means. Even on the cloudiest days when you cannot actually see the sun, it is still there and it is still providing the planet with life giving energy. Some forms of life are adept at using this energy. Plants soak up the sun’s rays and convert them to useable energy. Even humans absorb the sun’s rays to help the body produce vitamin D. Unfortunately, we are not nearly as efficient with sunlight as we could be. We still rely on fossil fuels and other terrestrial sources for our energy needs. All of that sunlight coming down every day is wasted. However, people are working hard to put that free energy to good use.

Solar energy use is broken down into two categories. Passive solar technology involves landscapes and building materials that use the sun to reduce the need for energy elsewhere. Insulation in a house, siding that holds heat, and a house positioned in a way that sunlight reduces the need for lights are all examples of passive solar technologies. Active solar technology involves solar panels and other technologies that convert sunlight and heat from the sun into other forms of useable energy, usually electricity. Active solar technology use replaces standard forms of energy, making them less necessary.

Solar panels, made up of photovoltaic cells that turn sunlight into electricity, are the most notable form of solar energy use. These panels collect sunlight through direct exposure then convert the energy to electricity for use in the house. Every year more money is put into developing this technology so the panels are becoming more efficient all of the time. On houses where these panels are installed, the homeowner can save significant amounts of money on monthly utility bills. As the efficiency level of these panels increase, the cost to purchase and install them will have a shorter and shorter payback time.

Solar water heaters are another common form of solar energy use. These heaters are used to heat the water in a home or to heat the water in a swimming pool. They are only effective in climates with more sunshine, so they are usually found from the middle of the country south. The most common systems either have a solar collector, similar to the solar panels on a house used for electricity, or plating on the pipes that collects the sun as the water travels. The systems with a solar collector take the sunshine and coverts it to heat. The heat is applied to a water tank, raising the temperature of the water. The systems with the solar pipes heat the water as is moves through the system. The material of the pipe converts sunlight to heat which is applied directly to the water as it moves through.

The sun provides more energy than we could ever need. With time and investment, mankind will get better at using that free energy that is just waiting to be taken.

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