Significant Fun Facts About Solar Power
Here is a selection of fascinating solar power fun facts. People have used the sun as a heat source for hundreds of years. It is only with the advancements in technology that have taken place in recent years that have helped us to finally harness this power.
Families in ancient Greece built their homes to get the most sunlight during the chilly winter months. The ancient Greeks believed that the sun was the god Helios and he drove his chariot around the earth up towards the sky in the morning and in the evening back again.
The discovery of the photovoltaic effect is attributed to the French physicist Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel in 1839.
In 1921 the Nobel Peace Prize was presented to Albert Einstein for experiments with solar power and photovoltaics.
Way back in 1955 The American Solar Energy Society held its first gathering in Phoenix and attracted the first Russian scientist to the US following the second World War. There is film footage showing early photovoltaics which was designed for NASA, solar cookers and solar heating panels.
The first solar flight took place in 1974 in California by an unmanned plane which was put together by two brothers Roland and Bob Boucher.
In 1975 the earliest solar boat was constructed in England and in 1996 Kenichi Horie from Japan made the first solar powered crossing on the Pacific Ocean in a catamaran.
The first World Solar Challenge was held in 1987. This is a solar-powered motor contest covering 3021 km through the Australian outback from Darwin to Adelaide.
Did you know that it is possible to increase any solar panel output by 75% by simply placing a mirror which is roughly twice the size of the panel on the ground in front of the panel?
PV cells do not require direct sunlight to work - you can still produce some electricity on a gloomy day.
Solar electricity is an eco-friendly, renewable energy and does not release any damaging carbon dioxide or other pollutants. A typical home Photovoltaic system could help save about 1200kg of CO2 per year which is around 30 tonnes over a lifetime.
It is possible to store the electricity that your solar power system produces in batteries for a cloudy day.
You can sell off any excess electricity that you produce using your solar power back to the power company and make a bit of money.
It takes no more than 8 minutes for solar energy to travel from the sun to the earth.
About 30% of the radiation that we receive from the sun in the upper atmosphere is reflected back into space. The remainder is absorbed by the clouds, oceans and land masses here on Earth. Yet still even in these conditions, the energy that our planet receives from just one hour of sun exposure is equivalent to the amount of power that human beings use within an entire year.
Large scale solar projects that are being constructed world wide show that sun powered clean energy technology are both achievable and also profitable. Solar power plants generate Megawatts (MW) with one MW being enough power to supply 1000 homes. One of the largest solar energy projects that the world has ever seen is the "Desertec" plan to utilize the uninhabitable North African desert for a power grid of concentrated thermal power stations that could supply Europe with just about all of its power needs by the year 2050. So much progress in such a brief period of time let us see where solar electricity will go from here.
Solar Energy Is Becoming The Greatest-Invested-In Alternative Energy Supply For The Time Being
When it comes to talking about alternative energy resources, there really are quite a few. Throughout the many years quite a few discoveries have been made and it is only in this present era that people are actually harnessing the power of Nature.
Facts You Ought To Know About Solar Power Costs
There are 2 main factors that govern solar power cost and these are quite simply, the production cost of the solar panels and the installation cost of the solar system in your home.
Use Small Solar Panels For Small Scale Renewable Power Projects In Your Home
There has never been a better time to build a small solar panel, make a move to low carbon living and begin to save money on your electricity bills.
Solar Panels As Well As Solar Energy Heater Systems; 3 Primary Sorts Of Solar Panels.
Solar panels and solar heating systems; 3 basic types of solar panels. There are 3 basic types of Solar Panels: monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous solar panels. 1/ What are Monocrystalline solar panels? 2/ What are Polycrystalline solar panels?
Solar String Lights - A Good Way To Grace Your House
Solar LED lights are increasingly becoming popular day by day due to its wide applications. Solar LED lights are best option for you to light up your house; they not only help in saving power but also help you to maintain a cleaner environment.
Instructions On Selecting The Best Solar Light
Everyone is in competition to have more and more profits. And the only possible thing to happen is either the income would increase or the expenses would go down.
Use The Power Of The Sun's Rays With DIY Solar Powered Energy For Your House And Produce Your Own Electrical Energy
Using the power of sun with solar electricity is a benefit to the environment and to your home. Solar electricity is already being used to supplement power for a number of large cities in North America.
Additional Electricity For The Household
The trend toward homes that are powered by alternative energy sources, ranging from wind turbines and solar collection cells to hydrogen fuel cells and biomass gases, is one that needs to continue into the 21 st century and beyond.