ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: SOLAR POWER

Alternative Energy: Solar Power

Karen Clarke
Salt Lake Community College

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: SOLAR POWER

Alternative energy, otherwise known as green energy, is an

energy sources that doesnt have a negative impact on our
environment; as opposed to sources that are frequently used
now that release carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. It is
believed that the excessive amount of carbon dioxide that is
being released into our atmosphere today has a big impact
known as the Global Warming Effect. One way to help fight
against global warming is to replace our current technologies
with alternative energies, that have in many cases better
performances without the dreaded production of carbon dioxide.
As of now the United States relies heavily on coal, oil, and
natural gas as a power source. Fossil Fuels are not only
damaging to our environment but they are also non renewable.
My point of bringing this up is I want to shine light on a more
economical and environmentally friendly way to power our lives;
Solar Energy. The focus of this paper will be on Solar Energy and
all the benefits it has to offer, both economically and
environmentally.
Right now, solar energy is only a small percentage of the
U.Ss total electricity generation, because it is significantly more
expensive than the popular alternative, coal. Solar power is

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: SOLAR POWER

about five times as expensive as the highly air polluting coal. In

order to make solar panels more accessible, it needs to be able
to be mass-produced in an affordable manner. As great and
simple as it seems to have panels to generate power it is just
much to expensive at this time to be in everyones homes.
How Solar Energy Works
Solar Energy technologies use the suns energy and light to
provide heat, light, hot water, electricity, and even cooling for
homes, businesses, and industry.

The way this works is by

utilizing sunlight and converting it into electricity by using solar

cells. Solar panels are typically installed on rooftops, whether it
is of a consumers home or business. On a daily basis, sunlight
hits the solar panels with Photons (particles of light). Some
systems actually move the panels with the sun for maximum
efficiency. The summer months generate more energy because
of the suns distance to the earth.

The solar panel converts

those photons into electrons of direct current (DC) electricity.

The electrons flow out of the solar panel and into an inverter
along with other electrical safety devices such as meters, charge
controllers, and emergency shut off mechanisms. The purpose
of the inverter is to convert that DC power (current used in

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: SOLAR POWER

batteries) into alternating current or AC power. AC power is

the kind of power that comes out of the wall outlet; it powers
our televisions, appliances, electronics, etc.
A net energy meter measures all of the energy that is
collected by the solar panels. On a day that your home uses
less energy than the solar panels collect the meter simply
pushes the excess energy into the electrical grid. You could
actually make a profit from having solar panels. In addition,
appliances today are made to be more efficient with power
usage. Pairing that with net metering; consumers are using
much less energy.
The technology has come a long way in the last decade.
The efficiency of the panels sold on the market today are
exponentially better than ones purchased merely five years ago.
It seems so far out of reach, but it is quickly becoming a viable
option for powering residentially.
Once solar panels are installed, they require little
maintenance if they are installed correctly. Something to have in
mind when installing the panels is that they need uninterrupted
access to the suns rays for most or all of the day to be effective.
Shading on the system drastically reduces energy output. Solar

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: SOLAR POWER

panels are a great option for locations around the world, as it is

not affected too much by climate and air temperature.
Conclusion
Solar Energy is a great alternative to power our lives, but it
is also very expensive because of the material it is made of.
Once we figure out how to make solar panels cheaper and are
able to mass produce the panels effectively then it will be a
clear better choice over the alternative of highly polluting coal.
Solar technology captures the suns heat and transforms it into
clean energy that is used in our ever day life.
References
Dhar, Michael. (December 16,2013). How do Solar Panels Work.
Live Science. Retrieved from
http://www.livescience.com/41995-how-do-solar-panels
work.html
Go Solar California. (2015). Solar Basics. Go Solar California.
Retrieved from
http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/solar_basics/how.phpLo
cke,
Susannah. (October 20,2008). How Does Solar Power Work.
Scientific Americano. Retrieved from

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: SOLAR POWER

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-solarpower-work/
Renewable Energy world.com (2015) Types of Renewable Energy.
Renewable Energy World.com. Retrieved from
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/tech/home
Solar City. (2015). How Commercial Solar Energy Works. Solar
City. Retrieved from
http://www.solarcity.com/commercial/how-does-solarenergy-work