Abstract:
This paper examines the role of solar power in our society. It starts discussing the different classifications and historical stories of solar power. Then it gives examples about solar power equipment and its benefit to us. In addition, it talks about the problems of using solar power. After that, it talks about the developments that have happened with solar power.
Introduction
Renewable energy sources provide 14% of the entire world energy including solar power, wind power, and hydropower. They provide the energy to the humanity in different forms such as electricity and kinetic energy. Solar power is a great example of renewable energy. The sun is the largest source of energy. Since the beginning of time, people have been fascinated by the sun. [3]Solar energy is the conversion of sunlight into electricity or other form of power. Solar power plays a significant role in different aspects of society such as economics. Some scientists believe that we should depend on solar power as the first source of energy. However, others believe that we should not do that because using solar power would cost a lot of money and it would be a big challenge to store a large amount of energy. This paper says that we should continue depending on fossil fuel till scientists solve capacity storing problems and find a cheaper way to convert the solar power.
Background
Solar power can be classified in two different manners. The first division is passive or active energy. For example, passive energy is when you let the sunlight light up the place without needing to transform it to another form. Active energy is when you transform the sunlight to another form to use in different purposes. The second division is photovoltaic (PV) or (ii) solar thermal. Photovoltaic is transforming the sunlight to electrical energy when it falls upon a semiconductor material. Solar thermal technology is using the thermal energy to heat things. Photovoltaic (PV) is classified into two collections crystalline silicon-based PV cells and thin film technology. Thermal energy technology includes two types: solar thermal non-electric and solar thermal electric. [6]
History of solar power
Solar energy technologies have long and old history. Countries were developing a new collection of technologies to generate steam by capturing the sun’s heat to run engines and irrigation pumps between 1860 and First World War [1]. American scientists invented first solar photovoltaic cell in 1954. The needs of solar power increased in 1970s due to the oil crisis because the oil country producers stopped selling oil for America because its attitude to the war between Egypt and Israel. Therefore, in 1970s America made a revolution in the development of solar power to cover its need to the power [2].
Examples of solar power equipment
Solar power is the most abundant renewable energy that can be found in different forms: direct and indirect form. Solar power equipment has helped humanity. An example of a direct form of solar power is solar cooking. It is an optimal way to cook because it prevents 38.4 million tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted when using the traditional method. Another example is the domestic size solar water heater. It meets the required needs of hot water for four people. It should be used for a cleaner environment because it prevents 1237 kg of carbon dioxide, which would be emitted. Another example of solar power technology is solar dry, which makes the vegetables and fruits cleaner and meets the required international and national standards of health safety. In addition, it saves energy and money, it conserves the environment, and it enhances the quality of products. Many places over the world do not have electricity. Other places have electricity but not sufficient for the residents. These places have sufficient sunlight that they can use it to produce electricity for the area. A device called a solar energy collector is used to collect the sunrays and transform it to heat and then electricity and that supplies the needs of electricity for the area. [4] After discussing these examples, I honestly recommend countries to start depending on the solar power in some equipment because it is a clean source and renewable specially using solar dry because it has more benefits for us.
Problems of solar power)
Many problems behind solar power stand in front of applying it. First, even though the solar power is a clean and constant source of energy, countries do not depend on it because it costs a lot of money and needs a huge conversion capacity. Most countries depend on fossil fuel because it costs the country less money than the solar power. The problem in fossil fuels, they are limited and they cause pollution whereas the sunlight is an unlimited and clean source. Engineers are facing problems in how to store the huge amount of electricity and heat that will be transformed from the sunlight. In addition, even if scientists try to store the electricity and heat, they cannot because storing them for more than 24 hours surpass the current technology. The other problem with solar power is that the clouds and night interrupt applying the process of converting the sunlight into different forms. [5] For me, if I have a chance to choose between fossil fuel and solar power, I will recommend using fossil fuel for a period of time until scientists find a cheaper way to convert the solar energy and figure out how to store the large amount of converted energy
Developments for solar power
Solar energy is available to all countries to utilize. For engineers, it is a big challenge for them to make a solar power engineering competes with the traditional way. Solar power engineering needs to have efficiency more than 20%, it needs to produce electricity for the entire year. The materials that be used in the solar power system should not harm the environment and keep it safe. Nowadays, engineers are trying to maximize the efficiency of solar cells that collect the sunrays by developing cascade hetreostructures that has been made at a laboratory. Its efficiency is 36 % in comparison to the old way using silicon solar cells that has efficiency of 24%. Experts say that the new technology will increase the efficiency to 40% in five years. In addition, Russia is developing a new generation of silicon solar cells that has efficiency of 93%. These new silicon solar cells will have terrific features such as absorbing more solar rays than the other cells.[7]
Example of country needs a solar power
Many places all over the world still live without electricity specially the rural areas in India. In fact, almost 30% of the country's population, especially in rural areas, still lives without electricity. This area depends on the coals to provide them energy. In addition, the problem behind the coal it is limited and the availability of it is getting less. However, these rural areas in India do not use solar power because of the shortage of using the energy and the technology. The other problem is the expensive price of creating the solar cells. From my point of view, I think the best way to solve this problem is to connect the electricity cables to the rural area from cites and from the adjacent countries like China or Nepal. The other solution is asking The united nations to give India money or making a global donation to collect money to those who live in rural area. [8]
A country applied the solar power energy
Solar power is the most recommend choice of energy to replace the traditional energy sources in Australia. An Australian study says that in the next three or four years, the price of electricity will increase by an average of 1.2% per year. People in Australia starts to set up solar panel on the top of their houses. It is an ideal way to save people money. In addition, it is a terrific way to protect the environment to be clean. The Australian government gives those who use the solar panel offers in many things inside the country. Rebert Green from Melbourne, a customer of the solar power expressed his opinion and happiness about the solar power, "When we decided to take advantage of the government rebate, Energy Smart was able to get the price even lower which was amazing! The whole installation was done over two days, and we have not had an issue with it at all. We're extremely happy with our system, thanks!” [9] As we can see that solar power should be supported by governments to let people start using it by giving them some offers in different things over the country such as flight tickets.
Conclusion
I think that solar power is a good alternative energy source. It has many advantages over fossil fuels. One is that the sun is free and does not have to be bought like other fuels. It also does not hurt the environment and it is a renewable energy source. There are a few disadvantages about solar power. One is that it can be expensive to make and can be hard to use on cloudy days. Solar power is also difficult and expensive to store. Another bad thing is that silicon the material that solar cells are made of can be hard to find. If there is another energy crisis like the United States experienced in the 1970’s, the usage of solar power will be greatly increased. Federal funding will be increased to promote the studies of solar power. This will make solar power more efficient, which will cause it to become cheaper.