| There are several solar energy facts that you may | | | | same things that most traditional sources of power |
| have heard of before. But since I was talking about the | | | | use. Things such as transformers, generators and |
| various advantages of solar energy, I thought I might | | | | other similar electrical tools are used. |
| also write an article about different facts about solar | | | | - Many people want to know how much a solar panel |
| energy. Hopefully, this article will help you decide as to | | | | costs and how to install one of those on their rooftops. |
| whether or not you should get and install solar panels | | | | You should remember that it should not take a long to |
| of your own in your house. | | | | recover the costs that you initially invested in in terms |
| What is Solar Energy basically used for? | | | | of savings in the next couple of years or maybe, if |
| - Solar Energy has a broad range of applications. | | | | used efficiently, months later. |
| People have been using solar energy for a long time | | | | - You could think of an area of around 1000 square |
| now. For Example, people have been using the sun to | | | | feet to set up a 10 kilowatt-hour solar panel. That |
| dry their wet clothes. But once the 80's and 90's came | | | | would be around 30 feet by 30 feet of rooftop space. |
| about, there was large scale improvement, | | | | - It does not depend what the location of the sun is as |
| advancement and research that helped in the invention | | | | you can use mirrors innovatively to overcome this. |
| of photovoltaic cell and other similar solar energy | | | | - Unlike most other things that you buy, you can get |
| utilizing equipment that literally changed the whole | | | | warranty rates of almost 20 years for individual solar |
| industry and revolutionized the industry and set it up as | | | | panels and around 5 years for the whole set up. |
| the industry of the future. | | | | Information about our Sun: |
| - Another important application and one very | | | | - Our sun is located at an optimum distance from the |
| commonly used is for the swimming pool. Since most | | | | earth and it is almost the perfect position for life to be |
| people swim in outdoor swimming pools when the sun | | | | possible on Earth. It is because of the sun that even |
| is shining brightly outside, it can be used for heating it | | | | renewable sources of energy can be used today. This |
| up. | | | | is because of life that existed millions of years ago |
| - Another place where it can be used is for small | | | | which was again because of the earth. |
| gadgets such as calculators and watches etc. Instead | | | | - Sun rays reach earth in an approximate time of 8 |
| of using the regular battery, it can be solar powered. | | | | minutes. |
| - Solar cookers are another very commonly used | | | | - There is enough energy received by the earth from |
| appliances. | | | | the sun in an hour to support the whole world's energy |
| Units used to measure | | | | needs for an year if used efficiently. |
| - Solar Energy is measured in the units of kilowatt-hour. | | | | Other Miscellaneous Solar Power and Solar Energy |
| - The basic unit for energy is Joule. However, for all | | | | facts |
| practical purposes, kilowatt-hour would be a much | | | | - Thousands of years ago, Indian astronomers and |
| better option to measure solar energy since joule is | | | | other more recently, scientists like Galilleo and Da Vinci |
| too small a unit. | | | | have been studying the sun and have predicted the |
| - To understand how much 1 kilowatt hour is, think of a | | | | solar energy industry to boom in the coming years |
| 100 watt appliance which is used for 10 hours. That | | | | which has now turned out to be true. |
| would be how much energy a 1 kilowatt-hour solar | | | | - Various solar powered aircrafts and vehicles have |
| panel would produce. | | | | been known to travel great distances without any fuel |
| - According to US Energy Information Administration's | | | | whatsoever. |
| Statistics, "in 2008, the annual energy consumption by | | | | - Solar flares which come because of the sun spots |
| an average American household was 11,040kWh | | | | heavily influence long distance communication on the |
| which is approximately 920kWh every month. | | | | earth and radio waves depend on this. |
| Tennessee had the highest annual consumption at | | | | Since it has been predicted that non renewable |
| 15,624 kWh and Maine the lowest at 6,252 kWh." | | | | sources of energy will last for not long into the next |
| Other Interesting Facts: | | | | century, solar energy facts and advantages just |
| - A solar panel that is set up at home consists of the | | | | became more important than ever. |