Solar Electricity
Written by John Carl Villanueva
Solar panels in space (NASA/SAIC)
Judging from what we know of the nearest possible colonies, the Moon and Mars, it would be impossible to operate hydroelectric plants there. While winds are present on Mars, they are typically accompanied by a lot of dust. The viability of using solar electricity on Mars, on the other hand, has already been proven by the highly successful missions of the Mars Exploration Rovers.
Here on Earth, solar electricity has not gathered as much steam as other 'green' forms like hydroelectric, geothermal and wind. The main reason is the high price of the solar panels. Because you need a really wide area to gather enough solar energy to supply electricity to even a single household, the cost of installation can be pretty daunting. The price per panel doesn't provide comfort either.
The main advantages of using solar electricity are:
- Zero emissions of greenhouse gases – Thus, using it can help slow down global warming.
- Zero noise pollution – The devices used to generate solar electricity does not have movable parts. Therefore, they don't generate any noise pollution. By contrast, other sources of energy such as geothermal, fossil fuel, and hydroelectric do.
- Unlimited supply of energy – It will take billions of years before the Sun will cease to become beneficial to our planet.
Government incentives for greener alternative energy sources are showing signs of a possible change in landscape in power generation though. In fact, it has been found that there was already a 3.6% price drop in solar power installations from 2007 to 2008.
With the recent announcement of a $3.4 billion federal stimulus for the creation of a smart grid, things are looking good in the horizon for solar electricity. The announcement regarding the stimulus was made by President Obama amidst 180 acres of solar panels in Central Florida.
Businesses have already committed to match the said amount with $4.7 billion, making the stimulus the largest investment on energy modernization in American history.
What remains to be seen is what the price of oil will be in the months to come. When oil prices were high, people saw enough reason to shift to greener energy sources. But when the price of oil hit low levels, the draw of traditional sources of energy were found too much to resist.
Want to know how solar power works? Find out here in Universe Today. We'll also tell you about the new company that looks to produce space based solar power within a decade.
There's more information behind the following links:
Space Energy, Inc.
Space Energy, Inc.'s interactive flash presentation
Tired eyes? Let your ears help you learn for a change. Here are some episodes from Astronomy Cast that just might suit your taste:
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Advanced Propulsion Systems
Filed under: Astronomy
Tags: renewable energy, solar electricity, solar energy, solar panels
