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Understand the workings of solar power and understand how it can help us by coming in use in various energy generating applications.

What exactly is solar power and how does this work?

This is the time when alternative is going mainstream. At least, in the energy field. Let me explain. The rapid decrement in the planet’s reserve of natural resources and fossil fuels, due to man’s reckless behavior and rising needs for more and more energy, is endangering the earth’s future. The ecological and environmental impact could be eventually disastrous. But mankind needs various forms of energy in order to survive. Heat and light are among the most fundamental ones of these. It is not surprising, therefore, that much of our finances are spent towards ensuring the regular supply of these. This concern has necessitated the search for alternative means of producing energy. The need of the hour is to produce abundant quantity of ‘green’, renewable and low-cost energy in order to stop putting excessive strain on or natural resources. The time to discover the power of solar power is now. Let’s delve deeper.

How can solar power help us?

That great ball of fire up in the sky that we call the sun is the ultimate source of much of the power that is generated and used by man. Solar power is full of potential and has many benefits of which some are obvious and a few others that are not so easily realized by us. In fact, the sun has always been benefiting mankind in many ways from the dawn of history. No other source of power save solar energy offers so much goodness without causing any harm to us or the environment. Modern science has given us some excellent means of capturing solar energy for use in various applications. By using ingenious devices like photovoltaic cells and solar panels we can easily convert solar power into useful electricity. Today, one comes across an array of equipment and appliances that are powered by the sun like the solar chimney, solar cookers, solar water heaters, solar thermal devices and so on. All these devices use solar radiation for their operation and also offer unparalleled savings and a whole new degree of convenience. However, the actual performance of these applications may vary greatly depending on some incumbent factors.

Solar technology can be of any one of two types - active and passive. This classification is dependant on the way solar radiation is harnessed, and converted into the desired form of energy and finally distributed for consumption. The various solar devices mentioned above are all examples of active solar technology as they involve the direct conversion of solar radiation into the desired form of energy. The other variant, viz. passive solar technology covers all those materials that have favorable solar or thermal properties and involve designing buildings and spaces with prime and proper air circulation and ample exposure to sunlight. Be it active or passive, both the forms of solar technologies serve a common purpose - that of increasing solar power conservation. Active solar technologies encourage the production of solar energy while passive solar technologies lessen our dependence on non-solar power. In all honesty, no other means of generating power save solar power helps us so much in preserving and protecting our environment. And this is achieved by virtue of the clean and ‘green’ nature of solar energy. Indeed, solar power is a veritable lifesaver in the face an imminent energy crisis that the planet is facing right now.

The applications of solar power

The list of all the different applications that make the use of solar power is a long one. It starts with the use of solar energy in architecture and urban planning that emphasize features like orientating buildings towards the sun, adopting selective shading, compacting proportion and so on. All these factors, when carefully matched with the corresponding climate and environment of a particular area, can lead to the construction of amply-lit spaces that enjoys the natural advantage of having a very comfortable temperature range.

The list of solar applications continues with its use in agriculture. The power of the sun has along been used by farmers everywhere to optimize and improve the productivity of crops. Techniques like fruit walls and sloping walls have been practiced to enhance solar energy collection and improve crop yields. Other applications of solar power in agriculture include powering water pumps, drying crops, and more. Greenhouse is another technology applied for the specialty crops that are not really suited to the local climatic conditions and require year-round heat to reap well. Yet another significant role of solar power is in the domestic field including technologies like daylighting, solar thermals, water-heaters and cooking. Photovoltaic cells and solar panels are implemented to convert sunlight into electricity. The list thus goes on with numerous applications of solar energy in our daily lives as well as specialized fields like chemistry labs where sunlight is converted into chemical energy. Some rare chemical reactions require solar energy to be triggered. Such reactions can be broadly divided into thermo-chemical and photo-chemical reactions depending upon how solar energy is used in the process. Finally, there’s the big economical advantage of using solar energy which is probably the cheapest source of energy!

So are you ready to install a system in your home? Get a guide that shows you where to install it, how to set up the solar power system, where to get the parts and batteries from cheaply, how to wire the system and also the safety precautions. With this information you can do it quite easily and of course safely. Save power and cut your electricity bill with solar power. You can also earn some extra money by selling your surplus power and of course this is an eco-friendly alternative as well.