Solar Energy – Research and Development

In the foreseeable future solar energy may be a common alternative to fossil fuel generated power. It is predicted by some experts that, within the next few years, the climbing demand for solar power will begin to drive down the generation costs. At that point it will become more viable to convert to solar power.

Although previous predictions have been that solar heat will be more affordable to the masses within 10 years. This no longer seems to be the case. The public pressure mounted on governments, combined with the will of the scientific community, during the recent oil price volatility appears enough to have put development of reliable, affordable alternative into the spotlight.

The source is reliable. It rises every morning and sets every night. A side benefit for building owners that have incorporated solar power into the power supply is increased property values. In addition to increased value, the property owner also enjoys quiet solar generation of electricity, an unlimited source of energy, the satisfaction of knowing that they are contributing to the health of the environment, and they get paid for the surplus electricity that they generate.

Heliostats, plate collectors, and photovoltaic cells are presently being used to collect the sun’s energy by either tracking the sun’s movement or installing the panels in areas that have maximum exposure to sunlight. Research and development is often stimulated by other discoveries and the field of solar energy is no exception. One can only wonder at the technologies that may make their way to market in the next few years

Currently there is a polymer foil being developed. This foil is 200 times lighter than the regular glass collecting plates and it is paper-thin. If this and other inventions prove to be effective and get released to the market, we could see the costs of solar panels drop. The material that is used for heat collection is glass-based and requires expensive substrates. The weight means that additional support is needed. The properties of the lightweight foil mean that it could be attached to the walls of a building.

With confidence in the polymer foil, development a solar cell made of plastic is being underway. Nanotechnology has entered the solar energy development arena. The properties of this plastic allows it to collect solar energy even on overcast days. Harnessing the sun’s infrared rays increases the efficiency of the solar power system to approximately five times that of the capability of current technology.

Plastic is not a new addition to the materials used in solar energy collection however this particular composite has only recently been found to capture the infrared portion of the sun’s rays. While plastic materials for harnessing the power of the sun are not new, it is only recently that this plastic composite could harvest the infrared portion. Capturing infrared reds moves development of solar energy forward rapidly.

Currently, only 6% of the sun’s energy can be harnessed by the best plastic solar cells. With more development and study, the expectation is that solar cells made from this plastic could potentially harness up to 30% of sun’s energy.

There seems to be agreement between researchers and scientists that solar farms will have the ability to harness enough solar energy to meet all of our electric needs. When this happens, electric bills will see a dramatic drop in cost. Presently solar generated electricity is 3 to 4 times more per kilowatt-hour than conventional electricity. This will change in the future as technology gets more effective.

The polymer foil and flexible plastic composite are just two of the most promising developments on the horizon. We could actually see a world free of its dependency on fossil fuels in our lifetime. That benchmark will mean that our planet can heal and our environment will become safer.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Energy

Our dependency on nuclear and fossil fuels is perhaps one of the best arguments in support of diversification. Another strong argument is the contribution that the production of conventional power makes toward global warming. Political will is needed if a large scale effort is made to counteract global warming but, that aside, there isn’t any reason that the citizens of the world can’t make their own contribution by lessening their demands for conventional power. We can all make the choice about how much conventional energy we consume.

Solar Energy - Advantages:

Solar energy is sustainable, renewable and, best of all, FREE! Short of something catastrophic occurring, the sun will rise day after day. Unfortunately, fossil duels like as gas, coal and oil are non-renewable so once the source is used up, it is gone. While there are other areas that can be tapped, with worldwide demand climbing at an ever-escalating rate, those too will be depleted.

By using solar energy, you are emitting no pollutants. The same cannot be said of fossil fuels. Oil and its myriad of byproducts are a tremendous source of pollutants. For enough oil to be processed to provide an average home with its annual electrical consumption, a lot of carbon monoxide is produced…about 22,000 pounds of it!

Actively harnessing solar energy is usually done using photovoltaic or solar panels, as we know them. By and large, solar collection is a silent operation. The exception would be if there is a panels are on a tracking system so that they follow the sun. The motor of the tracker will hum but not loudly. Solar energy collection is absent of the cacophony that is the norm for oil drilling sites.

Solar panels require very little maintenance. The panels need to have bird droppings, dust, and grime cleaned from them periodically but, if they are on a fixed base, that is about all the maintenance that they require. Once panels are installed, you get free electricity with little to no worry. With the price of oil jumping all over the place, it would be a nice relief to have an energy source that is not draining your wallet year in and year out!

Solar Energy - Disadvantages

The single major disadvantage to solar energy is cost. Although solar energy itself is free, the cost of installing the necessary technology is not. The initial cost of installing the solar panels prevents many homeowners from using them. Over time, solar panels pay for themselves but the initial costs are several thousand dollars. Of course, the costs go up from there depending on the quality and size of array being installed. A solar panel array to meet the electrical needs of a commercial building would be larger and therefore much more expensive to buy and install than one that meets the needs for a residence.

The technology to harness solar energy is not new and has been around for more than half a century. Development and refinement of the technology has been spurred in recent years by the public’s awareness of the negative effects that the production of conventional electricity has on the environment, as well as the volatility of oil prices. The cost of a solar array’s installation is subjective depending on the purchaser’s capacity to absorb the expense. That said, the overall benefits of utilizing solar energy are enormous, both for the building owner and the environment.

For solar generated electricity to be available for mass distribution the antiquated power grids in many regions would need to be replaced or an alternative delivery method developed. Political will has to dictate a new direction when approving plans for new development so that alternative energy is encouraged. Governments around the world have to step up to the plate and mandate that utility companies allow grid tie-ins and that would remove an annoying obstacle that many areas face.

Solar power is an ideal energy source for many areas and, with political will and public pressure; we may live to see it become the electrical source of choice in the near future.