What Is Solar Energy?
Solar energy is the sun's energy, which comes out as
electromagnetic waves. This radiation can be used to make power or heat, both
useful energy forms. Solar energy is renewable and lasting because the sun's
rays keep adding to it.
Photovoltaic (PV) solar energy and solar heat energy are
the two main types of solar energy. PV solar energy uses solar cells to turn
sunlight straight into electricity. In contrast, solar thermal energy uses
sunlight to heat a fluid, which then turns into steam to power a turbine and
make electricity. Solar power can also heat water or air in homes or
businesses.
Solar energy is clean and good for the environment because
it doesn't make greenhouse gases or other harmful emissions. It is also
becoming more affordable and easier to use as technology makes solar cells and
other technologies more efficient and less expensive.
Technically, is 100 percent solar energy
feasible?
From a technical point of view, it is possible to get all
of the world's energy from the sun. But a few problems need to be fixed before
this can happen.
1. The amount of energy that can be made from solar sources
depends on how much sunlight there is, which changes based on where you are and
what time of day it is. This means that energy storage technologies, like
batteries, would have to be made so that extra energy made during high sunlight
hours could be used when there isn't much sunlight.
2. The cost of solar energy systems would have to go down
to be on par with other ways of making energy. Even though the price of solar
energy has decreased significantly in the past few years, it is still more
expensive in many places than standard energy sources like fossil fuels.
3. Solar energy systems must connect to current power grids
to ensure that consumers always have energy. This would require big spending on
infrastructure and transmission lines.
Even with these problems, many countries and regions are
already making big steps toward using more solar energy. With continued
improvements in technology and policy backing, it is possible that all energy
could come from the sun in the future.
What are the challenges with 100 percent solar
energy?
Several problems come with using only sun energy:
1. Sporadic Solar Energy: One
of the biggest problems with solar energy is its sporadic energy source. It is
only available during daylight and can change depending on the weather. This
means that energy storage systems, like batteries or pumped hydro storage,
would need to be made to store extra solar energy during peak production hours
and release it when solar energy production is low or not happening at all.
Land Use and Room: Large amounts of solar energy need a lot
of land and room. This can be hard, especially in places with many people and
little land.
2. Cost: The
price of solar energy has decreased significantly in the past few years, but in
many places, it is still more expensive than standard energy sources like
fossil fuels. To get to 100% solar energy, much money would go into
infrastructure, research and development, and incentives to drive down prices
and make solar energy more competitive.
3. Integration with Existing Power Lines: It is
also hard to connect solar energy systems to power lines that are already in
place. Solar panels can produce different amounts of energy, which may require
upgrades to the transmission and distribution systems to ensure that energy is
always and reliably sent to consumers.
4. Materials and Recycling: To
make solar panels, you need rare materials like silicon, copper, and indium. As
the number of people who want to use solar energy grows, it is important to
ensure that these materials are gathered responsibly and sustainably. Also,
people must devise ways to recycle solar panels when they are unusable.
Even though these problems exist, many countries and areas
are making big steps toward using more solar energy. With continued
improvements in technology and government backing, one day, we may be able to
use only solar energy.
100% Solar Energy by 2050
To get to 100% solar energy by 2050, we would have to
invest in infrastructure, research and development, and incentives to bring
down prices and make solar energy more competitive. Governments, companies, and
individuals would also have to work together to get more people to use solar
energy technologies.
There are several ways to reach this goal, including:
To speed up the use of solar energy, governments could
offer tax credits or subsidies to encourage people to put solar panels on their
homes, shops, and other buildings. Utilities could also be required to get a
certain amount of power from the sun.
Investing in energy storage technologies: Batteries and
pumped hydro storage are examples of technologies that could be created and
used to store excess solar energy during peak production hours and release it
when it is low or nonexistent.
Expanding transmission and distribution infrastructure:
Upgrades to transmission and distribution infrastructure would be needed to
ensure solar energy can be supplied to consumers consistently and reliably.
Investing in research and development could help reduce the
cost of solar energy and make it more efficient and reliable.
Adopting helpful policies: Feed-in tariffs, net metering,
and renewable portfolio standards are all helpful policies governments could
use to encourage solar energy technologies.
Even though getting to 100 percent solar energy by 2050 may
be hard, it is possible with the right technology, infrastructure, and policy
support investments.