Solar Energy

Solar energy is the heat and light emitted by the sun, which lands on earth and which is then captured by humans to re-use it in the form of energy.

Solar energy is a renewable form of energy and is available in abundance. Only a small fraction of this available energy is however used by us. Electricity can be generated from solar energy through the use of photovoltaic and heat engines. Solar technologies are categorized into either passive or active solar technologies depending upon their procedures of capturing and conversion of the solar energy.

The shining mirror-like solar panels that we see is the active solar technology equipments. These are the photovoltaic, solar thermal collectors with electrical or mechanical equipments to capture and convert sunlight for effective use. Passive solar techniques are the material which has favorable thermal mass and light dispersing properties, used in building of houses.
The solar energy received by the earth in one hour is more than what is received in one year of all the other renewable energy sources.

Solar energy and sunlight has been used in a planned way for ages. Ancient architecture across the world has shown traces of how buildings were built to capture sunlight and redistribute it across the building. Modern architecture has given us street lights which collect solar energy through out the day and lighting up at nights. Solar energy is now used in cooking too. The solar cooker has a reflector panel for the sunlight which is diverted to a box in which the raw food is kept to cook. Solar cooker is a common sight in Indian homes.

Solar powered automobile is the next goal on which scientists and researchers are working upon. Some success has already been found in designing some solar cars which have reached up to 90kms per hour in speed. Considering the depleting crude oil stocks, it is very necessary to give the world an alternative and the world is working on it.

Linus Orakles
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