Solar panels are gaining interest amongst people of this energy crunched world. What are solar panels? They are an array of photovoltaic cells which capture the energy of the solar rays. In simple terms, the solar panels capture the energy from the sun during the day for later use. Solar energy is renewable source of energy and does not get depleted like coal or natural gas. It can be tapped as much as required and used to power all our energy needs. With the invention of solar panels, which has helped mankind tap the solar energy, solar power has become an increasingly powerful source of energy in the last decade or so.
Solar panels are made of crystalline silicon and gallium arsenide. The same silicon is used in the microprocessor chips. The gallium arsenide is very expensive which also makes the initial investment cost of solar panels high. These panels harvest the solar energy and convert it to electricity. The electricity produced depends on how much of energy is harvested. Roughly, a solar sell of 0.2 m in diameter can create electricity of 2 amps of 2 volts when exposed to direct sunlight at the surface of the equator. However, the electricity production is decided not only by the size of the panel but also by the quality of materials used in making the solar cells. With time as well as with wear and tear, the electricity production capacity of the solar cells comes down.
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As more people become aware of the critical energy crisis, solar power is moving into the forefront of alternative energy sources. Here’s why:
Solar power produces almost no pollution
The amount of pollution produced by solar panels is significantly less than the amount of pollution produced by other power sources. For example, these days carbon dioxide is one of the most talked about atmospheric pollutants. Even though carbon dioxide is a natural part of the atmosphere, in recent years, we as humans have began to overwhelm the earth’s eco system to the point where carbon dioxide has begun to reach toxic levels. We introduce carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in many ways, but one of the primary ways is via burning woods or fossil fuels for heating. Solar panels do not emit carbon dioxide and when we replace traditional energy sources such as wood or fossil fuels with solar panels, we decrease the amount of carbon dioxide that we introduce into the atmosphere.
Solar power saves you money
The upfront purchasing and installation cost for solar panels on the typical home is currently more than the cost of equivalent traditional energy appliances such as more…
