solar appliances

solar appliances

« Previous12345Next »

Facts About Solar Energy - Part 1

You need the top value for your dollar, and knowing all the facts about solar energy is the way forward. Whether you're searching for a whole home electricity or heating installation or a portable power supply for camping, it's better to know what's a great deal and what's not. Let's look at some solar energy facts:

- Solar energy has been successfully applied to cookery, cooling systems, heating systems, communications, space vehicles, lighting and a lot more.

- Human use of solar power isn't new. The story of solar power is thick. Construction methods have considered the sun's movements in optimizing its heat and light source for many 100s of years. Most past cultures worshiped the sun as the drive of everything, for instance the ancient Egyptians worshiped their sun god Ra.

- Solar power is progressively becoming more important to developed countries as the use of fossil fuels has become questionable, with its consequences of climate change and pollution. Fossil fuel reserves are limited, but renewable energy sources are limitless. Solar energy is also attractive to growing countries with remote communities because of the possibilities of complete solar appliances, negating the need for expensive power grid infrastructure.

- As renewable energy technology evolves and fossil fuel prices grow, solar power turns more inexpensive. Not to mention there are rising shipping costs of coal, oil and gas.

- Solar cells have approximately a 15% efficiency rate in converting solar rays to energy. So, solar arrays deliver only 20-55 Watts per meter² or 0.45-1.35 kWh/meter²/day average. But that doesn't necessarily make solar energy inefficient. The solar energy falling on Australia is equal to virtually 15,000 times the country's total energy usage. At a 15% conversion rate that's still more than 2000 times the present need of energy.

- Recently, construction prices of solar cells have dropped down by 3-5% annually, in addition to new government grants. This makes solar power a great inexpensive alternative energy source.

- The world-wide production of photovoltaic cells has inflated by 60% in 2004.

About the Author

Are these enough facts about solar energy for you? Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. To learn more solar energy facts, go to http://www.squidoo.com/solarcabin.

Other Small Appliances - Solar