Solar Energy Made Economical - Term Paper Example

Solar Energy: Economical for the Environment Solar energy is energy coming from the sun used as fuel to generate electricity. Solar energy is a renewable energy since the sun’s rays is unlimited. The sun is inexhaustible and absolutely free. The heat and light coming from the sun are good sources for power that promises environmental advantages, economical solutions for power generations, and sustainable sources for very long time. The world is growing more industrialized as time goes by. Thus, there is a projected higher need of energy and power to run all the industries and businesses. The world has been relying on fossil fuels dominantly for a long time. However, it can not provide energy forever. The supply of oil and gas can not sustain the increasing energy demands. Coal is another energy source that has been used by many industries. However, the use of coal in power plants is detrimental to the environment. It contributes to the pollution in air and water. Gases emitted by coal power plants exacerbate the atmosphere building up carbon dioxide and contribute to the increase of greenhouse gases that causes global warming. The abundance of solar energy can not be contested. Anywhere in the world, the sun has been the source of light for the earth. Solar energy offers many advantages for the environment. Energy coming from the sun does not deplete and will not run out Turning into solar energy solutions for the energy crises of the world is an economical, sustainable and environmentally friendly. It offers prime benefits that promises sustainability. It can address the growing demand for energy power both now and the future. Impact to the Environment Solar energy used for power generation offers many benefits. Its impact in the environment is lighter as compared with the other sources of energy. The use of solar energy power facilities reduces carbon emissions, greenhouse gases and other air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere. It emits relatively lower greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide as compared with emissions of fossil fuels and coal power facilities. Facilities for solar energy power require large areas for the collection of solar radiation. This may intervene with the other land uses such as agriculture, mineral production, and other existing land uses. Sites for solar energy facilities operation must be placed strategically so as not to hamper other existing land use. It must be placed in regions where the sun’s rays strikes directly in order to maximize collection of the sun’s energy. Putting up of solar energy power plants have impacts to the land, and water resources. A large requirement of land is necessary that is required to be cleared, graded and compacted properly during the set up. Water is also used up for solar energy power plants used for cooling system of many machines and equipment needed for the operation. Operation of the power plant also release particulate matters that may contribute significantly to nature. Thus, it is important to have a most appropriate land location for the solar energy power plant (“Solar”). Solar Technology There are two technologies involved in solar energy: Active and passive. Passive solar produces lighting and heat for structures. The sun’s energy is consumed just simply through the basic structures of buildings and establishments. Mostly, heat and light energy can be derived from the sun and used freely. An active solar energy use various technologies of Solar Photovoltaic, Solar Thermal, or Solar heating. Solar PV is the most common application for an active solar energy offering environmentally friendly solutions when used. It basically uses semiconductors in producing electricity. These semiconductors in cell like forms are assembled into varied sized panels depending on the electricity requirement (USEPA). The application of photovoltaic cells and solar panels are already found on many machines, rooftops, spacecraft, and even on calculators. The semiconductors formed into cells captures sunlight which activates the electrons. Electrons then flow through the cell and generate electricity. To use this application in larger scale and make power plants out of solar energy employs the same theory incorporated with various techniques and high end technology. The heat of the sun can boil water to produce steam and drive turbines to generate electricity. There are other technologies hat utilize moveable mirrors and direct sunlight to a collector tower. A receiver then collects the sun’s energy that I used to boil salted water to run generator (National Geographic). Solar Energy made Economical Solar energy system today is costly as the technologies explored and used are still limited. To gain widespread application of solar energy, it must be captured, stored and converted into electricity in the most cost-efficient way. There have been many studies in nanotechnology, physical science, biotechnology and science of materials that explores cost effective approaches for the use of solar energy. Solar energy can be integrated with various technologies for greater applications, maximum efficiency and minimized cost. One of the key steps towards a more economical solar energy is the use of solar photons to capture and convert solar energy. Solar conversion devices have optimal 31% efficiency for band gaps. Photons with higher energies than the established band gaps can release rapidly releasing only a useful internal energy. Technology for photons that can produce more voltage from energy absorbed is explored as solution for solar energy power (Lewis). Nanotechnology also provides solutions for making solar energy economical. It provides a new field for better performance of collection and conversion of solar energy. Nanoparticles and structures are found to enhance light absorption increasing conversion of light to electricity and provide storage and transport for thermal energy (Nano.gov). One of the breakthroughs in solar energy using nanotechnology is the use of MEG or multiple exciton generation. This includes multiple electrons or excitons produced during absorption of photons in semiconductor nanocrystals. Excitons are produced in nanocrystals where energy is conserved due to low threshold photon energy used. MEG is found to work effectively in materials such as PbSe, PbS, PbTe, CdSe, and InAs nanocrystals. Since it is measured in nanocrystals, there is no need or bulk semiconductors to convert energy into electricity. This is a promising way to increase conversion of solar energy in single celled photovoltaic cells. This breakthrough in technology is found to use Silicon for photovoltaic cells. Silicon is greatly abundant in nature and poses no threat to the environment (Beard, et al). One of the challenges for solar energy is the intermittent source of the sunlight due to night time, cloudy seasons, and rain periods. Large scale productions of solar energy power plants pose challenges. The use of photovoltaic cells is also expensive generating costs to convert electricity from the sun (EDF Energy). However, there are technologies that provide solution for this concern. One way is to generate solar energy us to use Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants, mirrors are utilized for collection of sunlight concentrating the sunlight to produce heat and steam through a conventional thermodynamic cycle. CSP can be used to generate electricity even after sunset or if the sun is behind the clouds through the heat storage system. Compared with photovoltaic cells, CSP has a higher capacity factor that can compete with other types of energy power plants (ETSAP). There is also a battery system that can transform stored energy from the sun. A team of engineers and scientist from Harvard discovered this novel battery technology that uses a metal free battery dependent on electrochemistry of quinone- small organic molecules. A breakthrough in the solar cells has been developed by Northwestern University that utilizes lead perovskite in collecting light from the sun. Perovskite is tin-based that is a good absorber of sunlight that can be installed in between two electric charged transport layers to conduct electricity. Lead perovskite is considered as the next big thing in photovoltaic as the material used is environment friendly, abundant in nature and provides higher efficiency in light absorbance (Science Daily) Solar energy is free in nature. Conclusion The use of renewable energy such as solar energy is the key factor to combat major global problems today such as the energy crises and climate change. There are many studies explored today to make solar energy economical through application of modern technology, choice of materials, and sophisticated designs. The use of solar energy provides excellent solution for the environment. The source for solar energy never runs out, thus, the source is inexhaustible. Operation of solar energy is environment friendly reducing greenhouse gases emission o the atmosphere. Its applications provide higher sustainability, more economical and more environment- friendly. Sun proves to be a stable source of energy. It can provide unlimited source of energy. Man just has to discover how to collect sunlight in the most efficient and economical way. Men just need to exhaust their innovations focused on the solar energy power generation. In this way, the world can have a sustainable source of energy that will last for a lifetime while protecting the environment from global warming and massive effects of climate change. Solar energy power source provides greater benefits for the world as compared with the use of fossil fuels. It is imperative that solar energy be explored deeper and utilized for the betterment of the world especially for generations to come. Works Cited Beard, M.C., Knutsen, K.P., Yu, P., Luther J., Song Q., Metzger, W., Ellingson, R., Nozik., A. “Mutiple Exciton Generation in Colloidal Silicon Nanocrystals”. Nano Letters 7(8): 2506-2512. (2007). Web. 8 May 2014 EDF Energy. “What is Solar Power?”. 2014. Web. 9 May 2014 ETSAP. “Concentrating Solar Power : Technology Biref”. IEA-ETSAP and IRENA Technology Brief E10. (2013). Web. 9 May 2014 Lewis, Nathan. “Toward Cost-Effective Solar Energy Use”. Science 315(5813): 798-801. (n.d). Web. 7 May 2014 Nano.gov. “NSI: Nanotechnology for Solar Energy collection and Conversion – Contributing to Energy Solutions for the Future”. United States National Nanotechnology Initiative. (n.d). Web. 9 May 2014 National Geographic. “Solar Energy”. National Geographic Society. 2014. Web. 7 May 2014 Science Daily. “Taking the lead out of a promising solar cell: Environmentally friendly solar cell pushes forwad the ‘next big thing in photovoltaics’”. (2014). Science Daily LLC. Web. 90May 2014 “Solar Energy Development Environmental Considerations”. Solar Energy Development Programmatic EIS: Information Center. N.d. Web. 7 May 2014. USEPA: United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Solar Energy”. 2012. Web. 7 May 2014. Read More