Did You Know about Solar Energy Facts

The consumption of non-renewable sources like oil, gas and coal is increasing at an
alarming rate. The time has finally come to look after some other renewable sources
of energy i.e. solar, wind and geothermal energy. Although many countries have
started utilizing solar energy extensively but still they have to go a long way to
exploit this energy to fulfil their daily demand for energy. Here are few facts on solar
energy that can help you assess the potential of solar energy to meet global
requirements.

1. Solar has Incredible Potential

If we add the amount of solar energy that is absorbed by the Earths atmosphere, land and
oceans every year, we end up with approximately 3,850,000 EJ (exajoules or 10^18 joules).
To put it in more understandable terms, this amount of energy is equivalent to:
2.7 million earthquakes of the same size as the Tohoku earthquake in
Japan (2011).
40 000 times the total energy consumption in the United States
8 000 times the total consumption in the whole world.
About 40% of the energy that is required to heat the entire volume of water we
have on Earth by 1Celsius
Unfortunately, harnessing all this energy is not achievable. Heres an overview that
illustrates the potential of solar power more realistically:

The sum of the tiny squares you see on the world-map is the area that is required to cover
the entire energy consumption with solar power.

2. Is Solar Power Green?

Let me get one thing clear: Solar power is certainly greener than conventional ways of
harnessing energy sources such as fossil fuels and coal.
On the other hand, there are issues regarding manufacturing of the solar panels, as well as
disposal and recycling of byproducts. Where does the solar panel end up when it is no
longer usable? (Most solar panels for home only have a warranty of 25 years).
Emissions of greenhouse gases do take place during the manufacturing. Dangerous climate
gases such as nitrogen trifluoride and sulfur hexafluoride are both on the list. These literally
have many thousand times the impact on global warming as an equal amount of carbon
dioxide would.

3. Solar Powered Aircrafts!

Yes, its true. NASA has been working on a series of solar powered unmanned aircraft since
the 1980s. Pathfinder, Pathfinder Plus and Helios Prototype, is the result of NASAs efforts
to use solar power for long duration high altitude flights.

The Helios Prototype (above) reached a record altitude of 96 863 feet in late 2001, which is
the highest altitude reached by an aircraft that is not powered by rockets for sustained
horizontal flight.

4. Solar Energy is Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear power is a term we use to describe ways to harness energy through nuclear fission
and fusion processes. Conventional nuclear reactors rely on the fission of uranium atoms to
produce heat, which we use to generate electricity. Nuclear fission processes releases vast
amounts of heat, but is still far from the potential of fusion, the exact same phenomena that
powers the Sun (as well as other stars).
Scientists are now working on what can be described as the holy energy grail of energy, or
how to harness nuclear fusion, and they have been doing so for the last 70 years.
If we are able to tame this power before we reach a century of scientific efforts is uncertain.
What is certain is that once we reach this milestone, the way we harness energy will be
revolutionized. We are no longer dependent on resources when it comes to energy. Terms
like renewable and sustainability will become meaningless. We will move into a new
paradigm where knowledge = energy.
Heavy hydrogen (also known as deuterium) that is extracted from not more than 1L
seawater, can with nuclear fusion generate energy equivalent to what we find in 300 L
petrol.

5. The Sun is Dying

You probably know that solar energy is considered a renewable energy source. The reason
for this is that the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the Sun (also known as sunlight)
will be around for us to harness, and will not disappear anytime soon:
According to astrophysics, the Sun was born about 4.57 billion years ago and has another
6-7 billion years before it becomes a white dwarf (a planetary stage where nuclear fuel in
the star is exhausted).
Fortunately you dont have to worry about this. When the hydrogen reserves on the Sun
are depleted, it will expand into a red giant, and will likely swallowing the Earth. Luckily we
have another 5 billion years before this will happen!