SUN LIGHTS THE WAY FORWARD
By
Global demand for all forms of energy is expected to increase by 54 per cent over the next twenty years, according to forecasts from the US Energy Information Administration.Another long-term forecast from the EIA puts world electricity demand in 2025 at nearly twice what it is now.
Most of the world’s energy is produced from fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas. Their energy is released when they are burnt, with carbon dioxide released into the air at the same time.Not only are these conventional sources finite, they also result in harmful emissions when being burnt, so we need to develop more environmentally friendly and renewable energy sources like solar, wind, water and geothermal.
Energy from the sun that reaches the surface of the earth is 6 000 times the amount of energy needed on earth a day.Humans have used energy from sun since ancient times, but with environmental issues becoming more prominent, solar energy is growing in scale and scope.
Traditional fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are being replaced by renewable energy sources such as solar power, which is mainly used for heating water and electricity.
In state-of-the-art city skyscrapers and sports stadia to ordinary homes in the heart of suburbia, solar energy provides a clean and cost-effective solution. For example, the recently completed 55 000-seater stadium in Kaohsiung, Taiwan is the first stadium in the world to provide power using solar energy technology.The enormous nineteen-hectare structure was built for the 2009 World Games, and will produce enough power for its 3 300 lights and two huge television screens from nearly nine thousand solar panels on the stadium roof.
That is solar power on a massive level.Even on a much smaller scale however, solar power can provide a workable and cost-effective alternative to conventional energy sources for household energy needs.
Solar energy experts, Perth based Solar My World, say that by installing photovoltaic or solar panels on a domestic property, homeowners will ultimately save on electricity, add value to the house and contribute to creating a greener Australia. There are two options for solar power for Perth property owners, namely grid connect and off-grid solar power systems.
Grid connect systems are predominantly installed in populated areas and supply solar power to the home through an inverter.When the solar system generates power that is surplus to needs, that surplus may be ‘on-sold’ to the electricity grid where appropriate.The other system uses a battery bank for energy storage and is a standalone system.This is used mainly in more remote areas where there is little or no access to conventional power supplies.
A benefit of solar power systems is their versatility – they can be AC or DC designed and can be expanded when needs change.
There is increasing concern over the impact that energy generation has on greenhouse gas emissions as it is the largest single contributor to emissions, and there is increasing urgency for people to investigate ways of reducing their own CO2 emissions.By generating power from the solar panels on the roof, the stadium in Kahosiung mentioned earlier will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 660 tons annually.A decision to install solar energy in our homes will give us all the power to help save the world.
No related posts.
Residential Windmills