20 Facts About Solar Energy that Might Surprise You
Solar energy is one of the most important renewable energy sources on the
planet, but less than 5% of the electricity produced in the world comes from
solar energy.
The benefits of solar energy are great, so we show some of the
interesting things and how its application changes many industries, such as
construction.
If you're wondering how solar has gone from a niche product to an unstoppable contribution to our electric future, this is the bottom line. After decades of development and political debate about solar energy, the industry is finally ready to stand on its own two feet.
Solar energy projects around the
world are hitting fuel prices without help, and every time they do, the future
looks a little different. How solar energy works. 20 Facts About Solar Energy that Might Surprise You
Solar energy is produced by converting sunlight into electricity. This
power is achieved through two main types of technology:
• Solar photovoltaic (PV)
• Solar Panels (CSP).
Photovoltaic is an example you are familiar with, since this technology
is used in space.
However, new technologies that produce high-temperature solar systems
from sunlight have been developed and are now being used in many industries.
Heat from the solar system can be used to produce sustainable alternative
fuels.
This means that companies that rely heavily on fossil fuels can now use
solar energy and solar thermal systems for clean, sustainable alternatives. The
construction sector is one industry that has benefited greatly from the use of
solar energy.
In particular, the cement industry has focused on reducing its carbon
footprint in recent years, and solar energy is just one response to this
challenge. But before we get into the details, here are some cool facts about
solar energy that we think you should know!
But there are still many things that most people don't know about solar
energy.
Here are 20 Things that Might Surprise You
Keep reading to find out more!
1. Solar Energy is the Most Powerful Source of Energy in the World
There is enough solar energy hitting the earth every hour to meet all of
humanity's energy needs for a year. Every ounce of oil, every cubic foot of
coal and every cubic foot of natural gas could be spared if we could capture up
to one hour of solar energy each year. This is a ladder of opportunity. To put
it in a different context, if we covered the Mojave Desert with solar panels,
it would generate more than twice the electricity the United States uses each
year.
2. Solar Panel Prices Have Fallen 99% since 1977
In 1977, it cost $77 per watt for a simple solar cell. According to the
Solar Energy Industries Association and GTM Research Q3 2017 Solar Market
Report, the cost of solar is $0.21 per watt. A fully assembled module costs
$0.39 per watt.
3. Solar Energy is Cheaper than Fossil Fuels
According to Lazard's Levelized Energy Cost Analysis - Version 11.0,
solar energy costs about 4.3 cents per kWh with unapproved subsidies, cheaper
than any other option for new power plants and fossil fuels. The cheapest fuel
option is natural gas, which costs between 4.2 and 7.8 cents per kWh.
Depending on where you plan to install solar power, it may be cheaper
than coal, diesel, nuclear, and in many cases natural gas, especially in the
southern United States. If the cost-cutting model is any indication, it won't
be long before solar power displaces all fossil fuel costs.
4. Solar Power Plants Can Last 40 Years or More
When a solar power plant is built, it is supported by a power purchase
agreement with a customer (work, company or owner) that lasts 20 to 25 years.
But that doesn't mean these plants won't be worth it twenty years later.
Not only will the sky last 40 or 50 years, but the infrastructure around
the solar industry is very valuable. Solar panels can be replaced with newer,
more efficient modules at a lower cost, thus improving efficiency, but once the
site is up and running, the solar power plant is having a long effective life.
5. China is the World Leader in Solar Energy
Solar energy is starting to get a lot of attention in the United States,
but we're a little behind compared to China. In 2017, GTM Research estimates
that the United States will install 12.4 GW of new solar power systems. China
installed 24.4 GW in the first half alone and will be more than 50 GW for the
full year. To put China's 2017 solar installation into perspective, 50 GW of
solar power will power 8.2 million American homes.
6. California is the U.S. Star in Solar
No US state has developed a solar industry like California. Not only is
it No. 1 solar installation by the border with 19.7 GW installed at the end of
2016, it gets 14% of its electricity from solar power - a higher percentage
than any other state, according to SEIA.
What's amazing about California's solar market is that it's evenly
distributed between small rooftops and some of the largest power plants in the
world.
About Solar Energy that Might Surprise You
8. The Sun is the Fastest Source of Energy to Dissipate
In the event of a disaster, no source of electricity can be built or
repaired as quickly as solar power - as the situation in Puerto Rico showed
after this year's hurricane. Tesla (TSLA 1.81%) and others could build a small
solar power plant and energy storage on the island within weeks. Neither the
fossil fuel industry, nor the renewable energy industry, would have been
installed so quickly.
9. Probably, It is Near You
A giant solar power plant built in the desert may get a lot of attention, but it's distributing the sun that's disrupting the way we think about energy. These services are spread throughout the network, from rooftops to panels installed at your local big box store.
You may be surprised to learn that
according to the Solar Energy Industries Association's latest Solar Means
Business report, Target (TGT -2.92%) is the largest buyer of solar energy
companies, with 147. 5 MW of solar generation, and Walmart (WMT -1.40%) is
second with 145.0MW. Another well-known corporate customer is Apple (AAPL
-0.59%), with 93.9 MW of solar generation in the US, enough to fully charge 39
million iPhones every day for a year. In the long term, Apple wants to not only
use renewable energy to run its operations, but also to buy renewable energy to
power the devices it manufactures.
10. Utilities Provide People with
Solar Options
If you yourself want to go to the sun, a rooftop system may be the option
for you. And even if you don't have a suitable house for installing solar
panels, you can get 100% of your electricity from solar power in an increasing
number of places. Community solar projects are developing in states such as
Massachusetts and Minnesota, allowing private consumers to contract to purchase
energy for solar projects. And facilities across the country offer customers
the option of getting wind or solar power for extra money.
11. It is the Most Abundant Energy on Earth
According to Scientific American, solar energy is the greatest source of
energy on our planet, and the amount of sunlight that reaches the surface of
the earth in just 90 minutes is enough to provide energy for the entire world
for a year!
In addition, solar power dominates all other renewable resources (e.g,
wind, water, geothermal) and uses less space or resources to generate
electricity.
12. Solar Energy was Discovered Almost 200 Years Ago
The science behind solar energy was discovered nearly 200 years ago by
French scientist Edmond Becquerel. Fun fact: he was discovered during a photo
test at only 19 years old!
13. How Much Energy a Solar Panel Produces
The electrical energy produced by solar energy is expressed in kilowatt
hours (kWh), which is an example of electrical energy as consumption of 1000
watts for one hour. To calculate the amount of energy produced in a day,
multiply the average number of watts produced per hour by the number of peak
hours. This means about 1.6 kWh per day or 54 kWh of electricity per month.
14. This Energy Helps to Reduce Climate Change
Solar power tops the list of renewable energy sources as the cleanest of
the bunch. The electricity obtained from sunlight does not consume any
electricity, and it does not produce air or pollution in the process, so the
building industry is responsible for this benefit!
15. There are Solar Cities
Solar Cities is an initiative that seeks to promote solar energy projects
around the world and encourage citizens to participate in the energy
transition. The project aims to bring solar power to cities around the world
and government officials are already in Croatia, Ukraine and Georgia!
16. How Solar Power Has Improved the Construction Industry
Solar energy is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and is
closely related to the industrial sector. The development of solar energy will
continue to affect our built environment, and moving forward, our sector will
be ready to build infrastructure that accepts and prioritizes new and existing
technologies. Solar energy has become a major part of sustainable building and
construction practices and is expected to become more common in the future.
17. It is Cheap Energy
With the recent rise in energy prices around the world, affordable clean
energy supplements are in high demand! The good news is that the cost of solar
energy has dropped significantly over the past decade and is now 33% cheaper
than burning electricity in the United States.
18. Efficiency of Solar Energy
Most solar panels have an energy efficiency rating of between 11 and 15%,
which means the percentage of energy that can be converted into electricity.
However, there are different types of solar and different performance in each
type. Researchers have succeeded in improving the efficiency of solar
technology, but their progress has not been made available to the public.
19. The Panels Generate Energy Without Direct Sunlight
What if it's a cloudy day or if it's raining? This is one of the biggest
doubts many people have, but even in bad weather, electricity can be generated
from solar energy. On average, solar panels produce 30%-50% and 10%-20% of
their full power on cloudy days and heavy rain days, respectively. Did you know
that solar power plants already exist? Synhelion's proprietary technology uses
solar panels to convert sunlight into synthetic marine fuel.
20. Panels can Last up to 30 Years
Solar panels operate at high efficiency for the first 25-30 years, but
you can start to see a return on your investment and money around 6 years after
installation. After 30 years, efficiency will deteriorate, but your panels will
not completely stop converting sunlight into solar energy.
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