The Sun’s rays are able to supply an abundant amount of solar energy which can be converted into electricity and heat. Solar energy is free, and there is no production of greenhouse emissions, acid rain, or smog in producing solar energy. The cost of solar energy technology has been decreasing over the years as our technologies mature globally. Before I get into how solar energy has progressed in various countries, I want to discuss the different types of solor energy technologies. These include passive solar design, solar thermal design, and solar voltaic.
Solar energy can be obtained through passive solar designs in buildings. Passive solar buildings maximize absorption of sunlight through south-facing windows and use dark-colored, dense materials in the building to act as a thermal mass. These buildings store the sunlight as solar heat. Below is a diagram of how this system works.
Solar thermal systems collect solar radiation to heat air or water for domestic, commercial, or industrial use. The collector for solar hot water is typically a box structure that has a glass top with a black absorber underneath it to circulate water. As the water is pumped through the collector, it is warmed and then circulated through a large insulated tank inside the building. Below is a typical thermal panel.
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system is an array of cells containing semiconductor materials that convert solar radiation into direct current electricity. These systems are non-polluting and help reduce electricity bills. Although these systems can be more expensive than conventional power sources, they can be a lower-cost electricity source in locations that are not served by the electrical grid. Below is a diagram of how solar voltaic panels work.
Here in Massachusetts, many people have the misconception that photovoltaic solar systems do not work because of New England’s weather conditions. According to the report Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Potential at State Owned Facilities and Lands, the Commonwealth’s annual average of insolation is approximately 4 kWh/m^2 per day. That is sufficient for PV systems to generate energy. PV modules are relatively unaffected by inclement weather and operate better in colder weather. Snow accumulation is not a problem because the panels are installed at an angle necessary to catch the sun’s rays (this also helps prevent snow collection on the PV module. If snow does collect it melts quickly). Experts on solar energy agree that MA is an excellent location to use solar photovoltaic systems.
Now that I’ve discussed the different systems of collecting solar energy, I will get into how solar energy is becoming a worldwide renewable energy source.
Over the past few years, there has been a tremendous growth in the United States solar industry which is helping to pave the way to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. The cost of a solar energy system has dropped over the past few years which is helping to give more American families and businesses access to affordable, clean energy. This past year, the United states hit a record breaking achievement in solar energy; the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System. This system in southern California was named the largest concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in the world on a massive scale. The facility has the capacity to generate 392 megawatts of clean electricity (that’s enough to power 94,400 average US homes). The successful completion of Ivanpah reflects America’s growing leadership in the global solar industry. President Obama stated during his State of the Union address that more Americans are relying on solar energy to power their homes and businesses than ever before. In the last 5 years, we have doubled the amount of energy we produce from solar energy. Below is a picture of the Ivanpah towers along with a diagram of how it works.
Ivanpah uses an innovative power-tower technology using a field of mirrors called heliostats to track the sun and focus sunlight onto boilers that sit on top of 459- foot tall towers. When sunlight hits the boiler, it heats the water inside to create superheated steam used to spin an electricity-generating turbine.
Apart from Ivanpah, through LPO’s section 1705 program, there are now 5 utility-scale CSP plants operating or under construction in the SU that will generate enough clean electricity to power 252,000 homes.
Solar energy is not only powering homes in the US, it is powering corporate America. Corporate giants including Apple, Google, and Wal-Mart are turning to the sun to power stores, data centers and other facilities. In May of 2014 at a Wal-Mart store in California, President Obama cited Wal-Mart’s commitment to double the number of solar energy projects at its stores, Sam’s Clubs, and distribution centers nationwide by 2020. Obama announced 300-plus other private and public efforts, including new solar panels on the White House, to boost energy efficiency and renewable power.
Apple, pledged to power all facilities with green energy. The California-based company said its energy-intensive data centers already use 100% renewable power. Google announced a $1 million prize to develop the next generation of power inverters to bring solar to more US homes. Ikea also said it will use renewable energy (when feasible) to all its US stores. Other companies such as Kohl’s, Staples, and Whole Foods, have already committed to acquiring 100% of their power from renewable power either through on-site generation or energy credits.
Besides the United States, Germany is making efforts to increase the use of renewable solar energy. The cost of solar power plus battery storage is about to dip below the average electricity bill in Germany. According to a report by RenewEconomy, it was concluded that power generation units with a capacity of 10 megawatts or less will make up 50% of the country’s power by 2025 (up from 30% now). Germany has some of the highest residential electricity prices, which encourages the switch to renewables. To promote renewables, many German homes are leaving the grid for solar energy. The country is in a 20-year contract to wind and solar suppliers – their own residential prices may soon drop.
The solar energy market in China is expected to witness rapid growth as well. With the country facing a continuous shortfall in the supply of conventional sources to meet the increasing demand for energy in recent years, the focus is shifting from conventional to renewable energy sources. The government of China is actively involved in the development of the renewable energy sector. Chinese Government has launched a distributed solar photovoltaic and rooftop solar photovoltaic programs. China is also focusing on the construction of solar power plants with the view to sustain its position in the highly competitive market. Photovoltaic technology has grown over the past decade in China and is on the way to become a major source of power generation.
Sources:
http://www.mass.gov/eea/energy-utilities-clean-tech/renewable-energy/solar/about-solar-energy.html
http://energy.gov/articles/celebrating-completion-worlds-largest-concentrating-solar-power-plant
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/05/10/solar-embraced-by-corporate-us/8895671/
http://solarenergy.net/News/germany-solar-storage-solar-panels/
I really liked how your entry focused on different private partnerships to bring about greater utilization of solar energy.
Wal-Mart, Google (who I covered in my entry), and others have really shown the power of private funding. Research and deployment funds can’t come from the government alone. This is a stakeholder problem that needs to be attacked by multiple different fronts concurrently.
Wohh just what I was looking for, thankyou for posting.