| Solar energy is a renewable source of energy and | | | | renewable resource. Solar energy may be used for |
| can be used in various ways. There are three different | | | | material testing, smelting, to heat and boil water, cook |
| ways in which solar power can be converted to | | | | food, distill and disinfect water for household purposes, |
| different forms of energy. Converting the sun's rays | | | | and more. This natural resource has a great |
| into a usable energy source is called electricity. This is | | | | advantage over the environment that it does not |
| can be accomplished by the use of "solar collectors," | | | | pollute the air when being converted into electricity by |
| or solar panels. This is solar photovoltaic energy, and | | | | the help of thermal devices. Electric power plants |
| involves the use of the photoelectric effect. Solar | | | | which run on electricity release carbon that pollute the |
| thermal applications, which involve using the energy of | | | | air, and affect air quality. Solar energy is the savior |
| the sun to heat things, such as water. Sun rooms in a | | | | here because it does not release greenhouse gases. |
| home are an example of this. Concentrating solar | | | | Among other uses of solar power are water distillation, |
| energy is the third way the suns enery is harnessed, | | | | water purification, cooking, and driving chemical |
| and this is used for megawatt scale power plants. | | | | reactions. Considering further, burning plants or |
| Solar power has an exciting future ahead of it. The | | | | agricultue is also using stored solar energy, in other |
| sun's light is a ubiquitous resource and solar panels can | | | | words, burning biomass fuel is also taking advantage |
| be attached to moving objects, for example | | | | of the energy of the sun. |
| automobiles, and can even be used to power to other | | | | As far as practical large scale power plants relying on |
| objects. Solar powered cars are being tested these | | | | solar energy, Solargen Energy is one such producer |
| days, and some cars are using solar panels to cool | | | | hoping to build a 1.2 million solar panel plant that would |
| parked cars in the sun. | | | | cover the area of approximately 3500 football fields, |
| The actual rate of radiation varies but as if now the | | | | and produce 420 megawatts of electricity. There are |
| generally-accepted value is 429.2 BTU per hour per | | | | constantly new large plants being built, and as of 2009, |
| square foot all of this energy could be collected and | | | | one of the larger power plants is in Jumilla, Murcia, |
| used, it would take about three hours to collect all the | | | | Spain which is producing 20 megawatts. There are |
| energy used on earth for a full year. Knowing the | | | | 120,000 solar panels in use. China is also proposing |
| famous equation e=mc2, we also know that all of the | | | | plans for completion in 2019 of the worlds largest solar |
| Sun's energy that strikes the earth each second is | | | | plant. When completed, this will be between a 1 to 2 |
| equivalent to 4 pounds of mass. The earth receives | | | | Gigawatt plant and it will power up to three million |
| 174 petawatts of energy from the Sun. | | | | homes. The US Army is also planning large scale |
| Rather than using expensive natural gas to meet | | | | plants, and several large power plants in the hundred |
| energy requirements, the world can use a fully | | | | megawatt range will open in the 2010-2020 decade. |