Curren 1 Craig Curren Instructor: Malcolm Campbell English 1103 11/07/2013

The Bright Side of Solar Energy The world must invest in the development of this renewable energy, because there is an unlimited supply and when technology does catch up, it will be the cleanest, most effective and efficient form of energy. As the worlds oil supply decreases and the price of gasoline continues to rise, people around the world search for an alternative form of energy. An alternative that has become popular recently is solar energy. Previously, solar energy was thought of as unfit for a potential primary source of power because it could not produce the amount of electricity needed for the worlds energy needs. However, with new technology, solar energy is currently emerging as a dominate source. But the technology has not quite caught up to the idea. We must invest to develop this new technology to better our world. There are three different forms of solar energy, the most common being photovoltaic energy. This form involves the use of a solar panel to convert light into electricity. According to Jessika Toothman, a journalist for How Stuff Works, the most iconic example of photovoltaics was found almost exclusively in space, powering satellites' electrical systems as far back as 1958, (Toothman). Photovoltaic cells contain silicon that absorbs sunlight, which in turn, knock electrons loose. The loose electrons then flow through the solar panel to a battery, or directly to the load. In 1958, greenhouse gases were nonexistent as far as the public knew, so there was no need for renewable energy. However, in 2013, greenhouse gases are very real and threatening,

Curren 2 and there is now an immediate need for a clean, renewable source of energy. Recently, photovoltaics have been utilized in more than just satellites. Panels have been used to power lights, water heaters, swimming pools, fans, and whole houses (Thiele). Though photovoltaic solar energy is the most commonly known, it is not necessarily the most effective. Gary Gereffi, a solar specialist at the Duke Center on Globalization, Governance and Competitiveness, says concentrating solar energy is a large scale, highly effective form of producing power. There are four different ways of producing concentrating solar energy: parabolic troughs, power towers, dish systems, and linear Fresnel reflectors. Parabolic troughs, dish systems and linear Fresnel reflectors are very similar. Parabolic troughs use reflecting panels shaped into a parabola, which focus reflected light onto a tube running along the trough. The tube contains a liquid, which boils to create steam, and then the steam travels through the tube to a steam engine, which then powers a generator or turbine, Gereffi says. Linear Fresnel reflectors are almost the same as parabolic troughs; the only difference is that Fresnel reflectors use flat mirrors to reflect light onto a liquid filled pipe or tube. Dish systems, are most similar to parabolic troughs. Instead of using a flat mirror, they use a concave, circular, dish-shaped mirror which reflects light onto a fixated point that contains liquid, which then goes through the same process as the other types. The last type is power towers. Power towers are large towers surrounded by a field of reflecting panels. The light reflected from the panels focuses on the top of the tower. Atop the tower is a large water-filled boiler that creates steam and powers a generator (Gereffi). The third type of solar energy is solar thermal energy. This is another large scale form, which is almost identical to concentrating solars power towers. Solar thermal energy is formed by using an abundance of mirrors aimed to a central tower, but instead of boiling a liquid, the

Curren 3 concentrated light powers a heat engine (Solar Thermal). As previousl y stated, both solar thermal and concentrating solar energy are large scale systems. This poses a potential issue of location convenience. One of the main reasons why governments around the world are skeptical about investing in solar energy is because of the inconvenience of space. Solar power plants require a large area of land that has access to plenty of sunlight. The most ideal setting for these plants is in deserts, where there is flat, open land, with minimal wildlife. A desert setting allows a large area to be covered, and has access to plenty of sunlight, without destroying any already inhabited wildlife. Solar energy isnt cheap though. Probably the most pressing issue with solar energy is the cost efficiency. The cost to buy and install solar panels seems extreme. A good system will run anywhere from $15,000-20,000. This is where most people hop off the bandwagon. Sure, clean energy sounds great and all, but people cannot fathom spending $20,000 for electricity. Thats just for a single home; government projects are in the billions of dollars. But the math proves itself. A solar panels lifespan is approximately 30-40 years. The average monthly electric bill in the United States is about $100-125 (How Much Money). So, $100 a month for 30 years adds up to $36,000 for electricity, using the governments electricity. With solar energy, consumers can generate their own electricity, reducing their $100 electric bill to $0. So, $20,000 up front for the solar panel system, plus $0 a month for 30 years adds up to $20,000. By switching to solar energy, one can save a minimum of $16,000 after 30 years, assuming the solar panels do not last longer, and that electric bill is average. So why not invest money now, to save money later? By investing in solar power development, individuals could potentially save even more than this. Another common concern about solar energy comes up when the sun goes down. How can someone use solar energy when there is no sunlight? With the help of highly advanced

Curren 4 batteries, consumers do not have to worry about the lack of light. Although there are some cases where solar panels are hooked up directly to what it is they are powering, most are hooked up to a battery, and the battery powers the desired load. By incorporating a battery, solar panels can draw in enough energy to power the load and store excess energy in the battery. This way, consumers can continue to burn the midnight oil, without having to burn any oil at all. The question that many people ask is just how much energy can these batteries store? Depending on the quality and quantity of batteries, it is possible to store enough energy for days or even weeks. However, assuming the quality and quantity are rather low, the storage capacity may not be sufficient. According to the article, How is Solar Energy Stored, self published by solarenergy-at-home, a do-it-yourself website that provides readers with factual information about solar energy in local homes,there is a solution to the low storage capacity problem: With netmetering, when you produce excess solar electricity, you send it to the grid and your electric meter rolls backwards. Later on, at night for example, when your system is not producing electricity, you can pull electricity from the grid and your electric meter will roll forward (How is). Consumers can store excess electricity that they produce in a community grid. If they run out of their own electricity their storage supply depletes they can draw electricity from the grid. An article in Popular Mechanics, written by Ben Hewitt, features his own solar powered house. Hewitts house is powered solely by renewable energy. He spent approximately $33,770 creating this environmentally clean home, and utilized three different forms to use renewable energy. Hewittinstalled 18 Evergreen Solar Cedar panels, 12 Surrette KS21 batteries, a power system inverter, 2 AC and DC breakers, a Southwest Windpower Whisper 100 (900-watt turbine) and 65-ft. tower kit, a Thermo Dynamics Two-Collector Solar Boiler System, and a

Curren 5 Kenmore Power Miser 9 water heater. How did he get all of that for $33,770? In the article, How much do solar panels cost?, UnPlugElectric.com, a how to website to create sustainable solar power, states, The average tax rebate and credit is about 50% of the total cost of the solar panels and installation. So it is assumed that Hewitt spent over $60,000 on this whole system. But doesnt it seem like overkill? Hewitt only uses about 20% of the energy he produces. The excess energy is given to the government in exchange for the guarantee of free energy to Mr. Hewitt whenever he may need it. But what if someone doesnt live in a very well lit area, and they cant produce enough solar energy for themselves? That is where the government comes in. The option to purchase solar panels and create a self-sustaining home is great, but sometimes thats just not an option. The US government has created multiple solar grids of their own across the country, providing solar electricity to consumers. By drawing energy from large scale solar power plants, they harness it, and sell it to consumers for a fraction of the cost of petroleum powered electricity. A consumer can save $50 from their $108 electric bill if they were to switch to solar power in 2008 (How Much Money). This option allows consumers to use solar power without having to pay for their own solar panel system. It is initially cheaper to use solar energy this way, but installing a personal system will pay for itself after 10-15 years. Why go solar? Solar energy is just one of many different forms of renewable energy. In addition to solar, there is wind power, nuclear power, hydro power, and natural gas as the popular alternatives. Wind power, like what Ben Hewitt used, involves a large wind turbine, or a really big fan. As wind blows, the fan turns, this turns a generator to create electricity. Though wind energy is clean and effective, there are some disadvantages. Wind is not constant. The turbines are only effective in remote locations around the world where there is plenty of wind.

Curren 6 The sun has a much larger reach than wind. Also, wind turbines have been known to be incredibly loud and dangerous for bird habitats. Nuclear energy is the worlds most popular form of renewable energy in 2013. Nuclear energy involves the splitting of atoms to create electricity. However, its downside is that it is extremely hazardous. Nuclear energy poses a threat of nuclear fallout if something were to go wrong inside the plant. Hydro power is a very clean, very cost efficient form of renewable energy. The only problem, much like that of wind energy, is that it is only effective in specific locations. Hydro power involves the use of running water to push a turbine that turns a generator. Hydro power plants are most commonly found on rivers where there is easy access to running water. Natural gas is much like petroleum product with the exception of carbon emissions. It is the most similar to the form of energy we have been using for centuries. But it is highly flammable, and not quite as effective as burning fossil fuels. Solar energy is the cleanest, pollutant free, silent, most space convenient form of renewable energy on the market. Its initial cost may be a little higher than the alternatives, but in the long run, it is the most inexpensive option. Solar energy as well as other renewable energies pose a huge threat to Big Oil. One company in particular, Chevron, has adopted the motto, If you cant beat them, join them. Chevron is one of the largest oil distributors on the planet, earning billions of dollars per year. The energy crisis has greatly affected Chevrons business. More and more people are learning about the benefits of renewable energies and the disadvantages of fossil fuels. Chevron seems to have found that there is no way to fight this, so they have created a new campaign, a clean energy campaign. According to the article, Delivering Clean Energy, the Chevron Corporation claims that its renewable power projects help conserve and extend finite hydrocarbon resources. They also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing demand for electricity that would

Curren 7 otherwise be produced by local fossil-fuel power plants. Chevron has come to terms with the fact that their business is destroying the environment, so they have chosen to adapt their business. I believe this is just the start, as more and more Big Oil companies will follow this trend and try to continue to dominate the energy market. The only problem with this for the oil companies is that renewable energy is just that, renewable, therefore there is an abundance of it, and it is accessible by everyone. Renewable energy is not found in localized drill sites and sold to the highest bidder, it cannot be purchased at all, only harnessed by anyone who wishes to harness it. Big oil companies claim they are trying to abolish greenhouse gases, but by doing so, they are on track to abolishing themselves, and they know it Greenhouse gases are posing a very serious threat to the earths ecosystem. People around the world are looking for a solution to this subtle crisis. Solar energy is the optimal solution to fight against the rate of carbon emissions flooding the atmosphere. It is clean, efficient and effective. It allows consumers to generate their own power, saving them money and potentially reducing their electric bill down to $0. There is an unlimited supply of solar energy, so governments around the world need to invest in the development of technology that can harness it.

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Works Cited Delivering Clean Energy. Chevron Energy Solutions. Chevron Corporation, 2013. Web. 23 Oct 2013. Gereffi, Gary. "Concentrating Solar Power." Cggc.duke.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct 2013. Hewitt, Ben. "Power Pioneers." Popular Mechanics. Popular Mechanics. Jan 2007: 83-87. Print. "How is Solar Energy Stored?." Solar Energy at Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct 2013. "How much do solar panels cost? Installation + Maintenance - Savings." UnPlugElectric.com. UnPlugElectric.com, 2009. Web. 23 Oct 2013. "How Much Money Will Solar Panels Save Each Month?." CalFinder. CalFinder Contractors, 2011. Web. 23 Oct 2013. "Solar Thermal Energy." solar-thermal.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct 2013. Thiele, Timothy. Top 10 Solar Energy Uses. About.com. About.com, 2013. Web. 23 Oct 2013. Toothman, Jessika, and Scott Aldous. "How Solar Cells Work." How Stuff Works. N.p., n.d. 1. Web. 23 Oct 2013.