What is Solar Energy?
Want to know more about solar power? Sure here you find things you did not know ;)
Today I would like to tell a subject that serves to raise awareness of the future of our planet; I speak about renewable energy but in particular of solar energy.
When we talk about solar energy, we mean that we transform energy from light and heat emitted by the sun. Basically what we do is to absorb the radiation emitted, as stated in the form of light or heat by the sun to make clean energy.
Obviously, this energy is renewable (not completed) and clean (not contaminated).
The power of radiation varies, of course, depending on various parameters such as time of day and geographic location (latitude and longitude). To get an idea we can say that in good conditions on the earth's surface can get around 1000 watts per square meter (1000W/m2). This power is known as irradiance.
According to the radiation that comes to us we can classify it in two ways, first we have the direct radiation, which is one that comes directly from the sun and other diffuse radiation, which is one that crosses or is reflected by clouds and / or other atmospheric and terrestrial elements.
As might be thought, the more profitable direct as it can be concentrated for use, which can not be done with the diffuse and comes from multiple directions.
A curious fact is that all the radiation that is projected on the ground, 30% is rejected by the atmosphere back into space while the rest is absorbed by clouds, oceans and land.
The process to transform solar energy to heat is quite expensive; photovoltaic cells that make up the solar panels are only able to take between 10% and 15% of the energy they receive, while some more sophisticated systems such as solar collectors’ terms may increase these figures to reach 70%.
One of the major drawbacks of this energy is not possible, at least for now, storing that thermal energy produced, so that what we are not able to seize the moment will be lost.
There are measures taken in countries like Spain, Italy or Germany where it has reached agreements with suppliers of electricity companies to buy back the excess energy individuals that otherwise would be lost.
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