Looking for a way to get solar energy information or to find out more about solar power products and solar panel programs such as solar power for homes? In the recent years, there has been a huge interest in solar energy and a lot of concerned agencies have been developing their own green energy guide. At this point, it would be beneficial for us to find out how exactly these solar panels work and how they can help contribute to renewable energy. You might already know of a very simple and common form of solar panel. This is the one found on solar calculators and they are called Photovoltaic Cells or PV. PV cells work in such a way that they convert sunlight directly to electricity through their semiconductor materials, such as silicon. The silicon, or the semiconductor material absorbs direct sunlight and turns that into energy by knocking electrons loose and allowing them to flow freely. This flow of electrons is what makes up an electric current, and by placing metal contacts on the top and bottom of the PV cell, we can draw that current off for external use, such as powering a calculator. Now, imagine this example and model of a solar calculator in a much bigger scale. Basically, manufacturers produce large and industrial-sized solar panels for powering communities, farms, and factories all in a very natural and waste-free method. There are of course advantages and disadvantages in working with solar energy and solar panels. Let us get into the advantages first. One very notable advantage is that it is totally renewable. This means that there is always an available source for the energy you are harnessing. We can always rely on the sun to shine the next day even if today was a rainy or cloudy day and we weren’t able to make use of the sun’s energy. Another advantage is that solar energy is an energy source that does not emit any pollution to the environment. Unlike oil, which is not renewable and a great pollutant to the environment, solar energy does not harm the environment therefore making it a very practical source of energy. In addition, there is also no noise pollution created by solar panels unlike what you get from giant oil drills or machines used to pump oil. These drills are extremely noisy and impractical. Also, solar panels are easy to install and require little maintenance to keep them running, which is another disadvantage of oil drills. Since solar panels do not have moving parts, they last a good long time with only an annual cleaning needed. There are a few disadvantages, too when it comes to solar panels and solar energy. First is the cost of putting them up. Solar panels, since they are still a new technology, might be expensive when you first buy them and of course when there is no sunshine (i.e. in a cloudy day or during a storm) solar energy cannot be harnessed. This will limit the amount of power that can be saved or generated for future days. Second, there might not be enough manpower (engineers, technicians, operators) who fully understand how to install, run, and maintain a solar power plant, so there has to be sufficient funds to invest in research and training. Overall, solar power and the technology used to produce solar energy is continuously improving. There is a huge support for it from local governments and the private sectors, and it is being promoted for household use as well. As the world’s fuel resources decline, it is important for us to turn to renewable sources of energy. For further reading on solar energy and solar panels, click these links: solar power for homes, solar power products and solar energy information, or you can visit http://www.solarenergyinformer.com
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