Solar Energy

(a picture of the solar panels at my grandparents home in Germany)

Solar energy uses various processes to use the energy directly from our suns heat and light to store and produce electrical energy. The most commonly seen form is through solar panels on the roofs of houses for example. This uses the suns light and through photovoltaic cells, or solar cells, generates an electric current which can be used or stored. This happens because the cells are made of  what is called a semiconductor material. The sunlight hits the cell and the electrons begin to move away from their atoms. It is the electrons that bounce throughout the cell that then generates an electric current. Other ways of using the suns energy are through thermal or heating systems. This process uses the suns thermal energy to heat water systems directly in your own home. Enough of the suns energy hits the earth to be able to power the energy needs of our world each year. Unfortunately most of this energy currently gets wasted or bounces back off and into the atmosphere. Using solar energy is not only completely clean and emission free but over time can also save on energy costs. The European Union is currently the worlds leader in producing green energy. Germany itself gets more than 25% of its energy from renewable sources. Using green energy is not only better for the environment but also has benefits like tax exemptions and being able to get money back from the government for producing an excess of your own energy. My grandparents house in Germany was a flour mill and a saw mill for many years. We have been producing our own water energy through a river that runs through a turbine in our house. Recently we decided to put solar panels on our roof as well. We in turn sell the energy we make from both our solar and our hydro power to a power company which then distributes it back to other users. The company pays us each year for the energy we produce for free.

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/solar-power-profile/

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443659204577575203384685874.html

http://www.solarenergy.com/academic.aspx