What Is Solar Energy?
The simplest answer to the question “what is solar energy?” is as follows: Solar energy is energy derived from the sun. And it is the most plentiful source of energy on the planet. It must first be converted into electrical or thermal energy to capture and utilize solar energy to power homes, businesses, utilities, etc.
Because solar power is a renewable energy source, it is an important component of our transition to a clean energy future.
What is solar energy? How does it work?
When the sun shines throughout the day, it does more than simply produce light for our world. Each particle of sunlight (known as a photon) that reaches the Earth carries energy that is used to power our planet’s processes. Solar energy is ultimately responsible for all of the Earth’s weather systems and energy sources. And enough solar radiation strikes the planet’s surface each hour to potentially provide the whole world’s energy requirements for almost an entire year.
Photovoltaics and solar thermal collectors are two technologies that may be used to capture and convert solar energy into usable energy. Solar energy accounts for only a small part of the world’s overall energy use. But the cost of installing solar panels has dropped so that more and more people can use solar energy. A clean and renewable energy source like solar power has the potential to play a key role in the global energy future.
What is solar power used for?
There are a variety of applications for the energy that the sun provides. Photovoltaics and solar thermal capture are the two most common methods of harvesting energy from the sun. When it comes to smaller-scale power projects (such as domestic solar panel installations), photovoltaics are much more common than solar thermal capture, which is normally only employed for electricity generation on a vast scale in utility-scale solar systems. As well as being able to generate energy, solar thermal projects may also be utilized for heating and cooling due to their lower temperature changes.
Photovoltaic solar energy
An increasingly popular method for property owners to use solar energy is through the use of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. An installed solar PV system converts sunlight directly into energy. And you can use this right away, storing it in a solar battery or delivering it to the electric grid for credits against your power bill.
Solar thermal
A second method of using solar energy is to directly absorb the heat emitted by solar radiation and put that heat to use in a range of applications. In comparison to a photovoltaic system, solar thermal energy is more versatile. But employing solar thermal energy for electricity production at small scales is less practicable than using photovoltaics.
Wrapping Up
Installing a residential solar photovoltaic system is the most cost-effective solution for individual property owners to save money on solar energy. Contact us right away if you want to find the best system at the best price.