What is Solar Energy,
And
How Does Solar Energy Work?

So, just What IS Solar Energy, and just HOW DOES Solar Energy Work?

...Well, given today's world-wide environmental and fossil fuel worries, some of us (who can do something about it) are FINALLY beginning to look up to that big bright ball in the sky and ask those important questions.

Why are they important questions?

Because the advantages of solar energy play a HUGE role in our future global energy needs and the environmental healing of our planet. ...Not to mention the fantastic potential for a developing solar job industry and entrepreneurial market!

The sun has been the Earth's chief energy source since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, until recent years, humans have never been able to effectively harness the sun's rays. Plants have always been MUCH better at that than we have, and so we humans have instead developed "dirty energy", like coal driven electricity and fossil fuels, to quench our bottomless thirst for energy.

Today, however, we are much more capable of answering the questions, "What is Solar Energy", and "How Does Solar Energy Work". The solar industry is still in its infancy, but is substantially on the rise and on the cusp of exploding. This is thanks to an environment that is starting to gag us and fossil fuel prices that are siphoning our wallets.

The question, "What is Solar Energy?", at its basics, is an easy one to answer. Solar energy is simply the harnessing of the sun's rays and turning it into energy.

The answer to the question, "How Does Solar Energy Work?", is a bit more involved, however.

Two Systems of Solar Energy:

1) The Solar Photovoltaic Cell (PV) Panel System

2) The Solar Thermal System

Rather than try to explain these technologies here in writing, I have found YouTube videos that do an excellent job of explaining them. Watch these short videos for further explanation:

Solar Thermal Explanation





See a Photovoltaic Cell Panel System Explanation below:





Another Photovoltaic Cell Explanation can be seen here, as it pertains to a system for a residential house tied into a city's energy grid:

Advantages of Solar Energy

Additionally, to help answer the questions, what is solar energy, and how does solar energy work, we should examine advantages and disadvantages of solar energy.

Some of the obvious advantages are: ...Everyplace in the world has sunshine, so no one country or continent can have a monopoly on solar energy. In fact, you can live in a developing country with no public electricity, yet power your entire household with a home solar energy system.

Other advantages of solar energy are that it is totally clean, noiseless, expandable (you can start out with few panels and add more over time), more affordable as technology and demand grows, and it's relatively easy to install (or you can hire a solar installation contractor - one of the many entrepreneurial positions that are opening up through this industry).

Another of the advantages of solar energy is that you can COMBINE your solar electric system with your public utility company's power grid. When you do this your solar power actually ROLLS BACK your utility meter during sunlight hours (the utility company actually PAYS YOU for energy REVERSING through the line). You then can buy back the grid electricity during non-sunlight hours - so you can theoretically have ZERO NET COST for residential electricity, while massively conserving the environment.

Finally, a massive solar energy future is going to mean massive solar energy jobs for the general public and business opportunities for us entrepreneurs!

Disadvantages of Solar Energy

But when talking seriously about what is solar energy and how does solar energy work, you know that there must be some disadvantages too, right?

The disadvantages of solar energy presently start with initial cost. Typical home solar systems range in cost between $10,000 - $50,000. However, this is indeed an investment, especially if you plan to stay and enjoy the electricity savings for a few years. It's estimated that typical solar power homes will pay for themselves in about 8-10 years, and then allow home solar system owners to POCKET THE PROFIT in electricity savings from there on out (the time frame and savings vary according to circumstances, of course).

PLUS - if you do want to move, solar power homes will typically sell considerably faster than a comparable house that pays the local public utility 100% for it's "dirty" electricity! It is unclear, however, how much MORE solar power homes can sell for as compared to a non solar power home.

Another thing to consider about disadvantages of solar energy are that while technology is ever expanding, currently you really need considerable sunshine for your home solar system to work at an optimum level. But the good thing is that even at non-optimum performance, you CAN still enjoy significant savings.

The Combined Power Plant Model

While it's currently not very realistic to think that the world will make a quick conversion to all alternative energy (like solar and wind energy), what IS realistic is to start turning power plants into COMBINED power plants.

What does this mean?

This is where power plants incorporate several forms of alternative energy WITH coal and fossil fuel into the public's electrical grid. During optimum clean energy times, the alternative energy operates the grid. During poor clean energy situations (nighttime, low wind, etc), then fossil fuels take over the grid... yet another way of answering "how does solar energy work REALISTICALLY"?

Here is a VERY COOL example of how some communities in Germany are actually making this happen!:

My hope is that the worsening state of environmental and fossil fuel issues will wake our world up. That it wakes up our respective governments to help finance our scientists, inventors and research companies to FURTHER answer those burning questions - "What is Solar Energy", and "How Does Solar Energy Work?"

For more information on What is Solar Energy and How Does Solar Energy Work, Click Here to Visit the Prometheus Project Website.


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