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What is Solar Power?

By: Paula Dennholt

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Solar power is humanities harnessing of the sun's light. This may seem like a recent event, but, in truth, solar power has been used in different ways for billions of years.

Apart from the simple fact that the sun provided the warmth and energy for the bacteria that grew into life as we know it, there are more scientific and technological uses, dating back over thousands of years.

The Ancient Greeks, always interested in learning about the world around them, knew how to harness solar energy; the radiation from the sun. Mainly, they viewed such devices as toys, but some designs were taken seriously.
Archimedes created a large magnifying glass-mirror that was used to set-alight enemy ships. The Romans adopted much of this technology, just as they did to much of Greek science.

Thermometers, glass boxes, and other devices that used the heat from the sun were created, and over time these grew in sophistication and efficiency.

In 1839, the dawn of modern solar power occurred, with Edmund Becquerel discovering the photo-voltaic effect; that light could move Farraday's electrical circuits, when the right electrolyte was used. It took over 100 years for inventions based on this effect to become practical.

When sunlight makes contact with certain materials, the sunlight moves electrons through, creating electricity via the suns energy, with increased efficiency, today, that power is used to power lights, computers, cellphones, and many other applications.

But solar electricity alone is not the only practical application of solar power.

In the 1920's, heat from the sun was used to warm water and provide heating for many houses, unfortunately these systems could not compete economically as the price of gas and electricity decreased to the point where that was below these systems base operating costs.

These systems fell into disuse, and were eventually forgotten about, but for a period of time, these devices were viewed as mainstream devices, and again, with increasing gas, oil and coal prices, and increases in efficiency and technology, renewable energy is becoming very viable.

Since 1954, when Bell Labs invented the modern photovoltaic cell, solar panels and power have been used to power satellites, cellphones, laptops, lights, there have been hundreds of different viable applications of solar electricity.

Satellites use solar power to supply much needed electricity. While these systems are expensive, they are reliable and a great long-term solution as to how to power an independent object for a very long time.

Solar heating heats water and saves money on heating bills in tens of thousands of homes world-wide, while they are not as common as gas or mains powered heating, in rural areas and areas off the grid, this is a great answer to the problem of electricity.

Solar power is often very affordable, some companies give away solar powered calculators, solar powered lawn lights dot the suburban landscape.

In summary, solar power is great, renewable and healthy, costs are coming down and efficiency is increasing, solar power is competitive, and one of the best options if you care about the planet.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Want to learn more about solar energy? Here you’ll find a lot of www.solar-for-energy.com>solar energy facts as well as many ideas on how you can use solar energy at home.

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