How Reliable Is Solar Power?

With solar power being flaunted as one of the realistic alternatives to the burning of fossil fuels, it is only natural that enlightened thoughts are turning to the reliability of the energy it can create. After all, the sun is an intermittent energy source. It does not always shine, with most countries experiencing cloud cover for large portions of the year. There is also the issue that the sun is only available for, at most, 12 hours out of every 24. Could the world’s energy demands really be sustained from what seems like such an unreliable heat source?

The answer is probably no, which is why solar energy is only being spoken of as one of the options for continued energy production. However, solar energy is one of the most viable of the options mentioned, even if it could not meet the entire world’s demands for energy by itself.

The reason for this is simple; the sun is a constant. The sun will continue to shine for as long as there is life on earth; by the time the sun begins to dim, the earth as we know it will begin to die. Unlike the expendable resources of coal and oil, this makes the sun very dependable – it will be here for as long as the world will.

The sun is also relatively easy to ‘tap’ into, as it shines directly onto earth and needs no human interaction for it to work to its full potential. While manufacturing solar panels can be expensive, they are relatively hassle free once created, and the only engineering they require to function is to be pointed as directly as possible toward the sun. This is certainly more viable than having to dig into the earth for coal, or send rigs out to sea to collect oil.

Solar power is, therefore, a reliable energy source. How effective it is is a matter of debate, but one should largely assume that much – if not all – of the world’s demand for energy can be satisfied by our most powerful celestial friend.

Solar Panels and Overcast Days

There is a general misconception that solar panels, used to generate electricity and energy from the sun, do not work on overcast or cloudy days. This continues into the belief that solar panels are only useful during the summer months, rendering this form of renewable energy somewhat useless for half of the year during winter.

It is easy to understand where these misconceptions come from. Solar panels need solar light (and it is assumed, heat) to function; without sun rays hitting the panels, it would make sense that no energy could be produced.

However, there is a difference in what we consider to be the sun’s power and what is the actual power of the sun. We as humans associate solar rays with strong, yellow sunshine in a cloudless sky; the kind of weather conditions that have you reaching for a hat and for sunblock. While solar panels will flourish in these conditions, just because the sky is overcast or the temperature is low does not mean solar panels will cease to function.

This is because the sun is always casting rays down on earth, even if there is cloud cover interrupting its route to the surface of our planet. Many people each year, much to their surprise, find themselves suffering sunburn on what appeared to be a cloudy and overcast day. This is because the sunlight is still getting through, but it is just more filtered and obstructed than usual.

For solar energy, the important part of the above sentence is that the sun is still getting through. Even when we would consider the sun not to be shining, it is – unless it is night time! Solar panels are therefore able to function in most weather conditions, albeit with reduced output.

Can Solar Panels Work In Winter – YES?

When solar energy is touted as one of the natural replacements for the consumable energies of coal and oil, one of the first questions that is always asked is: what will happen in winter? Can solar panels function when there is precious little sunlight?

The simple answer is, yes. Even in winter, most countries experience six to seven hours of daylight, and to an extent this is all a solar panel needs to function. Solar panels, despite the name, do not necessarily need direct, hot sunlight to produce electricity; but what they do need is light. In daytime, some of the sun’s rays are getting through to earth even when it is cold and overcast. Quite simply, if these rays weren’t getting through the cloud cover, it would not appear to be daytime!

Therefore, for as long as it is daytime, solar panels can function and produce electricity to a degree. Temperature is a relatively unimportant consideration in solar panel development; in fact, some experiments have shown that the mechanisms and generation systems of solar panels actually function better when it is colder. All electrical systems slow down somewhat in intense heat – such as trying to use a laptop on a hot day – and the crisper temperatures of winter can allow solar panels to work to their full potential.

While all of the above it is true, it is nevertheless also a fact that the output of solar panels is effected by a lack of daylight – something which is characteristic with winter. One would not get the same effective output on a winter’s day as one would on a summer’s day, and for this reason other energy generation sources are required for the winter months. Thankfully, in most countries winter may decrease the amount of solar output, but the weather changes in a way that is beneficial to other renewable energies – such as tidal or wind power, which may be less effective in the more temperate summer months.

Solar Power – Cutting Your Energy Bills and Saving The Environment

The concept of solar generated energy has the kind of truths behind it that would make the vast majority of advertising executives salivate.

Firstly, the environmental considerations of using solar energy are huge. With fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, set to run out at some point; there has been a renewed focus in finding sustainable and renewable energy. Solar power has come to the forefront of such discussions as a viable alternative to the old ‘digging stuff out of the ground and burning it’ way of generating energy.

The effect this ability for renewable energy which takes nothing from the earth itself is huge. While solar power will never be able to meet all of the Earth’s energy demands, it should certainly be able to sate a large portion of the populace. By switching to such renewable energy that capitalizes on a natural resource, the environmental impact would be significant.

Secondly – and this is where the aforementioned advertising executive would really become excited – solar power could save the average member of the population money. By having solar panels installed, people could save as much as 30% on their usual electricity and heating bills.

With every year that passes, the general populace becomes more concerned about their own impact on the environment and their own dependence on fossil fuels. As time passes, these people with particular concerns are looking at utilizing other forms of energy. Once upon a time, seeing solar panels on the roof of a normal home would have been alarmingly unusual, but it is now fast approaching the norm. The average household is now capable of saving the environment and saving money – what are you waiting for?

Solar Power Will Save You Money?

You’ve probably heard it all before; solar power is the answer to the world’s energy crisis, and what’s more installing solar panels in and on your home will save you money on energy bills. With utility bills, particularly electricity, increasing all the time – it’s no wonder that more and more people are seeking alternatives.

So, basically, the blurb is good. Solar power is good, and it is truly a way forward. At this point, with interest piqued, many will begin to wonder if they genuinely can save money and the environment by investing in solar panels.

Solar panels can be placed anywhere; the most effective place for the average household is on the roof, where exposure to sunlight is at its highest. And while you may feel the stories of cut price energy bills are a little bit too good to be true, the simple fact is by switching to solar power you will save money. Yes, everyone.

Solar panels can replace your dependence on electricity and gas – two of the most used utilities in any given home. For the first few years what you save will be largely offset by the cost of the solar panels being installed, but most companies estimate that people will genuinely be saving money by their seventh or eighth year with solar panels. Reduction in energy bills could be as high as 30% – no matter what or who you are, from a tiny flat to a large six bedroom detached house.

Purchasing and installing solar panels should be seen as an investment rather than a quick fix for your energy bills soaring. However, there are various grants and loans available for people wishing to help switch their homes to solar energy – check your local authority to see if you, and the environment, could benefit.

The PS10 Tower: The Future of Energy Generation?

Outside of the city of Seville in Spain, one can see a monolith that largely resembles something from the Lord of the Rings. A huge, towering eye stands a 115 meter high tower, looking out over a sea of large, shiny reflective objects. To the innocent bystander it is an odd, or even alarming sight, but what is happening in this small corner of Spain could indeed be the future of energy.

The monolith is in fact a PS10 tower, a technical name for what is essentially a huge solar panel. Like many solar panels, it gathers the sun’s heat and boils water to create steam; this, in turn, creates electricity, which can then be used to power anything from a small town to the oven in your kitchen.

What makes the PS10 Tower different, however, is that it does not just receive sunlight directly from the sun. While it would be effective in doing so, the PS10 Tower looks out over 624 movable mirrors, known as heliostats, all of which are positioned to shine the sun’s rays directly onto the solar panels atop the tower.

If it sounds complicated, that’s because it is – but essentially, what the PS10 Tower generates in power which then becomes electricity is 624 times more powerful than your average solar panel. Thanks to the heliostats bouncing the sun’s rays directly on to its receiving panels, the PS10 is able to create steam to drive a generator at a rate previously unheard of for solar technology.

What’s more, the experiment has proved so successful that a second tower and second bed of heliostats – the PS20 Tower – has now been built. The Spanish have capitalized on their natural resource – blinding sunlight – and used it to create electricity. Even more excitingly, it works. So is are the PS10 and PS20 towers the future of solar energy? They just might be.

Solar Powered Cars – are here now

Upon glimpsing a true solar powered car they will be strongly reminded of the children’s TV series ‘The Jetsons’. After all, most solar powered cars are oddly shaped – sometimes even flying saucer-esque – and are covered in little mirrors and panels to suck energy from the sun. These cars look odd, but they do exist. In fact, in the Australian Outback (which benefits from glaring sun rays) a car powered purely by the sun was about to reach speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour.

Not particularly impressive given the world’s fastest combustion engine car, the Bugatti Veyron, can reach 250mph – but not bad. The effect that solar powered cars have on the environment is virtually nil, and while the shape and design are still somewhat bizarre, that is something that can be tampered with over time. So, does the future see us starting the solar panels on our cars rather than the engine?

Well, not quite. While 80mph may seem pretty good, the cost of getting to that speed was extortionate – well out of the reach of most household budgets. The other flaw is the design; solar panels on solar powered cars need to cover a large area atop the car to function, which leads to designs including wide wings and flat roofs. Not aesthetically pleasing, and not practical either.

The problem is momentum; rather than just generating steam like traditional panels, the solar panels on cars are trying to create enough force to move a stationary object. While there is a chance in the future someone will see a way around this problem, for now, solar powered cars remain the playthings of scientists – not the new family vehicle.

The Past May Be Dim, But The Future Is Bright For Solar Energy

Where would we be without inventions? Well, the answer is fairly easy to surmise; sitting around in our mud huts hoping the cow will produce some milk, and that our vegetables will grow. Inventions have given humans the edge over the other species on the planet, as our collaborative minds create a new world bigger and better than the one before.

The problem is, humans are fallible – and what’s more, arrogant. Humans have, throughout the centuries, had an uncanny ability to invent things that will improve our lives forever – but we’re just as likely to boast about our discoveries, too. This desire to show the world what we have uncovered and just how very clever we are has lead to many good inventions being tried before they were ready; they subsequently failed, and the idea was pushed to the back of a drawer, banished from history forever.

The inventions that have survived have done so for one of two reasons: firstly, the inventor was wise enough to perfect his invention before unveiling it to the general public in a blaze of glory. Or, as is more likely, a good idea may have experienced a bad start, but has been good enough for people to persist and perfect the technology as it works along.

Solar panels very nearly suffered the fate of numerous other inventions that were revealed to the public too soon and proven to be disastrous, thus shoved to the back of the drawer and forgotten about. Excited scientists proudly told the world how the dependence on fossil fuels would be able to end, and all thanks to something called solar panels and their ability to generate electricity.

Yet they went public too soon, with an imperfect technology, and solar panels quickly got a reputation as unreliable. However, the idea stuck, and now we exist in a world where solar panels are almost becoming the norm. Solar panels have thus proven that even after a bad start, the good ideas tend to stick.

Solar Power: Not so Expensive and Worth It

You may have noticed that over recent years, more and more companies are springing up and advertising solar panels. This, in turn, has lead to more people installing solar panels on their homes – so you may be wondering if this is the move for you.

Having solar panels fitted to your roof is expensive, no doubt about it. The installation varies from $4000 to $60,000. The difference depends on the size of your house, your requirements from the panels themselves and how much electricity you are hoping to generate. In basic terms, the larger the panels and the more you want – the bigger your bill, though even a basic system can be tough on the wallet.

Firstly, most solar panel installation companies will offer some form of credit – perhaps even ‘buy now pay later’ type deals, which allow you to suspend repayments for a year or more. Almost all will offer a traditional credit scheme, where you have the panels installed and then pay them off. This is one of the most expensive ways to get solar panels installed, as you will be charged for the credit, but nevertheless it is an option.

The best way option for most is to save a dedicated fund for their solar panels. Using the old school system of putting a little money by each week, many households can afford solar panels within a couple of years without having to pay credit purchase rates.

Whichever way you choose to do it, solar panels are expensive. There isn’t any way of getting around that, though as the technology improves prices should fall. It is always worth remember, however, that solar power is beneficial both to your wallet in the long run, and to the environment.

Renewable Energy vs. Fossil Fuels

At present, the vast majority of the world’s energy resources come from the burning and manipulation of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels include oil and coal; essentially, generating electricity from already-formed substances found on earth. Most of us have seen gigantic oil rigs towering on the horizon and coal mining is still an important industry for many countries; it is from these industries we get most of our energy and electricity.

However, there is a problem. Fossil fuels such as oil and coal are not sustainable resources; in essence, one day, they will run out. Oil and coal generate over thousands – if not tens of thousands – of years, and humans have been tapping these resources ever since the Industrial Revolutions of the 19th century. While it may sound like scare mongering, one day these fuels will cease to exist.

Various estimates can be found on how much fossil fuel is left, though most scientists agree we have mined over the ‘half way’ point. This is means that the Earth only has around 40% of its total supply of fossil fuels left to give, and it would take millennia to create more naturally.

Therefore, the search for renewable and sustainable energy has become pressing. Various options are being presented, most of which capitalize on the free natural resources of the planet we live on. Wind and solar power are increasingly spoken of as the natural alternatives to fossil fuels, while tidal and water power are also viable alternatives. Whichever method is chosen as the way forward for energy generation, they will need to both viable and sustainable so they can meet the world’s increasing demand for energy.

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