Alternative Energy

Solar Energy
12/04/2020

“We have proved the commercial profit of sun power in the tropics and have more particularly
proved that after our stores of oil and coal are exhausted the human race can receive unlimited
power from the rays of the Sun”
- Frank Shuman, New York Times, 2 July 1916

Introduction: Solar power is the power harnessed from the radiant light or heat from the Sun
using various technologies such as Solar Thermal Energy, Photovoltaics, Solar Architecture,
Molten Salt Power Plants, Artificial Photosynthesis, etc. It is an essential source of renewable
and sustainable green energy that has zero environmental effects. The use of Solar Energy has
increased tremendously over the last 15-20 years. It will continue to grow as its popularity
increases exponentially among the masses. Better and better technologies are being discovered
with time, and all of this has increased the scope of harnessing solar power. Companies such as
SolarCity, a subsidiary of Tesla Inc., are making heaps and bounds of progress to shape the
future of solar energy.

Potential: The Earth receives an enormous amount of solar radiation through the atmosphere.
Approximately 30% of it is reflected back into space. Moreover, the other part is either absorbed
by the atmosphere, clouds, oceans, or landmasses. Biofuel, another vital source of renewable
energy, is also indirectly a result of solar energy. It was estimated that the total solar energy
Earth receives in one hour is equal to the total energy consumption of an entire year. It is also
said that the total solar energy received by Earth during an entire year will surpass the total
amount of energy that can be harnessed from any fossil fuel like coal, petroleum. These figures
describe the scope of solar energy and its potential for our use. In areas around the equator, there
always has been a massive scope for the development of solar power because of the direct facing
of the Sun. However, in recent times, the scope of Solar power in the regions, even farther from
the equator, has also risen because of the development of Photovoltaics. However, cloud covers
can affect solar power generation. Also, solar power cannot be generated at night because of no
availability of sun rays. Another significant issue right now is the availability of large spaces.
Since solar panels need large spaces, the availability of substantial unused land is also
challenging. However, a workaround has been devised, which involves putting solar panels on
top of house roofs. Thus, we can see that there is tremendous potential for the development of
this technology.

Applications :
● Water Heating, Water Treatment, and Cooking: Water heating is one of the most basic
applications of solar energy. In areas around the equator, solar water heaters can easily
supply water at around 60 °C with even minimal sunlight. Israel and Cyprus are leaders
in this sector, with over 90% of the homes utilizing this. Solar cookers are also used for
cooking, drying, and pasteurization. Solar energy can also be very efficiently used for
water treatment. It can be used to make brackish or saline water potable. It can also be
used in wastewater treatment.
● Heating, Cooling, and Ventilation: With the infrared radiations attached to sunlight, one
of the most prominent applications of solar energy is heating and daylighting. Unique
materials and distinctive designs can be used for more efficient heating, cooling, and
ventilation of buildings. This phenomenon is called ‘Passive Heat Transfer.’
● Molten Salt Technology: This is a thermal energy storage method that can be used in
case of bad weather or in any other failure. It is estimated to have an energy storage
efficiency of 99%.
● Electricity Production: Electricity production using solar energy can mainly be done
through two methods - Photovoltaics (PV) and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP).
1. Photovoltaics: Photovoltaics consist of solar cells, which are devices that turn solar
energy into usable power with the use of the photoelectric effect.
2. Concentrated Solar Power: In this method, a range of mirrors and reflection devices are
used to concentrate solar heat onto a particular heat. This is then used as a source of heat
in conventional power plants.
● Agriculture and Horticulture: Solar energy has widespread applications in these fields,
with the widespread use of greenhouses becoming extremely common throughout the
 world. These types of methods seek to improve the use of solar energy to optimize the
growth of plants.
● Transport: There has been a massive increase in interest in this emerging field over the
years. Developing a solar-powered car has been an engineering goal for quite some
amount of time now. Also, there have been instances of development of solar-powered
airplanes. However, the only problem is that their scale is still too small.
● Fuel Production: Solar chemical processes are chemical processes that get their
activation energies from solar energy. This is also a massive area of research and has a
tremendous potential to change the world literally.

Challenges: The biggest challenge facing the solar energy sector is the storage of generated
energy for night times and when enough energy cannot be generated due to various reasons. The
energy storage industry is still in its nascent stage. There is a limit to how big batteries can be
made and so we need to improve the energy storage density of our batteries. If we can solve this
problem, there is no end to the change this would bring in our world. The other major problem is
the availability of unused land for solar panel farms. However, solar panels can be installed on
rooftops to generate power. Furthermore, it has been found that these solar panels generally pay
for themselves in the subsequent 7-8 years.

Thus, one can genuinely say that there is a tremendous scope of this technology, and the
possibilities are endless in this field.

References :
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy
- https://us.sunpower.com/what-solar-energy-and-how-do-solar-panels-work
- https://www.journals.elsevier.com/solar-energy
- https://www.britannica.com/science/solar-energy
- https://news.energysage.com/what-is-solar-energy/
- https://www.acciona.com/renewable-energy/solar-energy/
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/solar-power/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/solar-energy
- https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/solar/