The sun provides us with most of the energy we use on Earth. We can collect it through photovoltaic panels and solar collectors to generate electricity and heat. But let's see together what solar energy is exactly and how it works.
The ' solar energy is, quite simply, the energy that comes and is collected from the sun , and is the primary source of energy on the planet. It is a type of energy that works by flow, not in stock, and therefore its continuous use does not in any way decrease its availability. Furthermore, solar energy is the source of all other energies available in the world such as wind energy, fossil fuel energy, wave energy, hydroelectric, biomass, geothermal and tidal energy. It is a renewable , available, inexhaustible and clean source, thanks to the enormous amount of energy released by the sun every day. Solar energy is collected and used to produceelectricity (through photovoltaic solar panels) or thermal (through solar thermal energy). There are three ways in which energy from the sun can be converted: solar photovoltaic, solar thermal and solar thermodynamic.
Solar photovoltaic
Solar thermal
The solar thermal intercepts the sun's rays and directly produces heat from them. In this case, the fundamental component of the system to transform the sun's energy into thermal energy is the solar collector . Its purpose, unlike the solar panel, is to heat a carrier liquid that flows inside its tubes, transporting the heat to the places of use. Solar thermal energy is necessary because it is necessary to reduce the use and quantity of fossil fuels and natural gas.
Solar thermodynamic
Also called concentrating solar panel , it is used above all for the production of hot water inside homes, it is a sort of evolution of thermal solar panels, and is able to produce heat in any weather condition. Its operation is the union between the heat pump system and the solar thermal collector, used precisely for the solar thermal system. It works by collecting the sun's rays accumulated in the form of heat, and converting them through a turbine into electrical energy. Thermodynamic solar can be domestic or used on a large scale.
Pros and cons of solar energy
It goes without saying that the benefits of using solar energy are far more than the downsides. In fact, if the criticisms of this energy collection system mainly concern the installation and maintenance costs of the plants and the unpredictability of the energy source, since one is never sure if the weather conditions will be favorable, the benefits that use of solar energy entails are undeniable. First of all it is renewable and clean energy, fundamentally inexhaustible. Plus, the savingsin economic terms, the electricity bill is considerable, despite the initial investment in the installation. In addition, the solar energy collected can be used in various ways, from converting into electricity to thermal energy and heat. Let's say there isn't much room left for doubts. It is very important to encourage the use of renewables in a world that is consuming more and more due to the exploitation of resources. And the sun, as a resource, asks us nothing in return.
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