Solar Power Solar Energy Information

2 considering there are over 57million square miles of land on earth we have room to spare.

Solar power solar energy information. In order to power the entire earth on renewable energy we would need to install solar panels on over 191 000 square miles. The world s first solar collector was built in 1767 by a swiss scientist horace de saussure and it was used for cooking food and heating water. Solar energy radiation from the sun capable of producing heat causing chemical reactions or generating electricity. Solar power is one of the cleanest most sustainable and most renewable resources in the world.

Solar energy and health facts. Solar power is usable energy generated from the sun in the form of electric or thermal energy. Read on to learn about some solar energy facts that may surprise you. The total amount of solar energy incident on earth is vastly in excess of the world s energy requirements and could satisfy all future energy needs if suitably harnessed.

In the 1830s british astronomer john herschel used a solar oven to cook food during an expedition to africa. It is an essential source of renewable energy and its technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending. An example of an early solar energy collection device is the solar oven a box for collecting and absorbing sunlight. Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the sun that is harnessed using a range of ever evolving technologies such as solar heating photovoltaics solar thermal energy solar architecture molten salt power plants and artificial photosynthesis.

In december 2016 the cost of building and installing new solar electricity generation dropped to 1 65 per watt narrowly beating out its renewable counterpart wind 1 66 watt and its fossil fuel. What you need to know. Solar energy facts reveal that the first documented use of solar energy although extremely simple can be traced back to 7th century bc when people used magnifying glasses to light fires. Aside from using photovoltaics to generate electricity solar energy is commonly used in thermal.

As of 2011 the technology produced less than one tenth of one percent of global energy demand. Collecting and using solar thermal heat energy.