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Solar energy is a renewable resource provided by the Sun. The Sun is the great star of our Solar System with 1.4 million kilometers in diameter, it is formed by a series of hot gases, the most abundant are: hydrogen 71% and helium 21%. These gases are converted into energy in the core of the Sun and this energy that is generated is released from the interior of the Sun to the Solar System in the form of light and heat. The light and heat that are released by the Sun are the energy that reaches the Earth and makes life possible on it. In addition to making life on Earth possible, this solar energy that reaches us is given different uses or exploitation. Knowing this, it is convenient to know better how solar energy is produced. As mentioned above, solar radiation reaches the Earth in the form of light and heat, this energy is captured by the solar panels or panels through different collectors (photocells, heliostats or solar collectors), once the energy is captured it transforms well into thermal or electrical energy.
If after reading this you want to continue discovering this renewable energy and see what it can offer us, we encourage you to continue reading this article by Ecologist Verde, because here we talk about what are the uses of solar energy.
Types of solar energy
Solar energy is gaining ground globally, leaving other types of energy on the sidelines, such as those that come from fossil fuels (oil, gas or coal). If you do a little research on the Internet, we can find several rankings where the main solar energy producing countries appear. The ten that produce this energy are: China, the United States, Japan, India, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Australia and Pakistan.
Both types of solar energy most used that we find are:
- Thermal solar energy.
- Photovoltaic Solar Energy.
- Bioclimatic energy, a newer type of renewable energy.
The advantages of solar energy With respect to other energies they are basically that it is a very clean and inexhaustible energy. The disadvantage is its discontinuity, since this energy depends on the weather, and the visual impact generated by the fields of panels or solar panels.
Solar thermal energy is used to provide heat such as, for example, for the use of heating or heating water. The uses of photovoltaic solar energy are provide electricityTo achieve this, solar radiation is converted into electricity through photovoltaic panels. Bioclimatic energy consists of taking advantage of the solar energy in construction such as, for example, the greater use of natural light, but for this the climate conditions of the place where the new building is to be produced must be taken into account.
Uses of solar energy
The following list shows what is solar energy for and, in general, the uses it may have:
- Bioclimatic architecture.
- Electricity.
- Illumination.
- Production of domestic hot water (DHW).
- Heating.
- Pool and spa water heating.
- Irrigation.
- Transport.
- Wearable technology.
Bioclimatic architecture
It is one of the most recent uses regarding the production of electricity, lighting or water heating. It is based on the construction and design of buildings and homes in such a way that it allows take advantage of natural light and solar energy so that the windows and walls can capture and store the energy in order to distribute it in the form of heat in cold seasons and so that it can reject this energy in hot seasons. The use of natural solar energy provided by the bioclimatic architecture It is free of electrical and mechanical devices.
Electricity
It is one of the best known uses by all. It is thanks to the photovoltaic solar panels, who are in charge of transform solar energy into electricity, that we can give it the use we want in our homes, from charging a mobile phone to putting a washing machine. For the use of this electricity, the capacity of the system we have installed must be taken into account. This energy can be stored in batteries giving the possibility of having electric current in cloudy periods.
illumination
It's one of the uses of solar energy better known, since it is increasingly common to see lights with a small solar energy collector. Is used to illuminate exteriors, such as roads, trails and highways, without the need to use a power line. This is possible since the different lighting points have a small plate that captures solar energy during the day, stores it and when night comes it makes use of this stored energy by providing light.
Production of domestic hot water (DHW)
The sanitary water, also known as hand water, needs 45 ºC to be disinfected and can be used for this purpose and it is easy to bring water to this temperature with thermal solar panels. These thermal panels They are not only seen in houses that have been recently built, but also in houses already built previously in which a replacement is made in the facilities, this replacement allows significant economic savings to both homes and companies.
Heating or air conditioning
Solar energy is captured and transformed into thermal energy. This use is valid both for the production of hot air in winter and cold in summer. Allows a strong 70% energy saving and, therefore, also an economic saving. We can find two systems:
- Active system: which makes use of pumps to circulate hot water to transfer heat.
- Passive system: the natural circulation of water is used.
Water heating, swimming pools and spas
Thermal energy is used to heat water What is obtained from the solar energy. This is an increasingly common use in places where sunny weather is predominant, such as Spain or Latin America. This practice means a significant economic saving in electricity or gas in homes, in addition to allowing the duration of the bath in the pools, whether indoor or outdoor.
Solar powered electric transportation
Solar powered transportation It is something that is still in development, but it is already being applied, above all, to buses, railways, electric cars and roads that can be activated by sunlight. This is achieved through photovoltaic energy. If this development with photovoltaic energy were to give good results, it would help in a very important way to reduce pollution in urban centers.
Irrigation
Because the optimization of water is increasingly important, it is possible to resort to solar energy, which is a good ally since by installing pumps that work with solar energy allows farmers regulate irrigation and therefore a good optimization of it. This practice for saving water that can mean a small respite to the water reserves or aquifers depending on where it comes from.
Here you can find out more about what is solar irrigation and how to do it.
Wearable technology
Nowadays, it is very common to carry smart devices, not only a mobile phone, but also other devices such as tablets, smart watches or electronic books. This has led to the manufacture of solar batteries capable of charging these devices or devices that charge themselves with exposure to sunlight, we can find from a hairdryer or radio to a wireless speaker and a tablet. Furthermore, it now also applies to what is known as weareable technology, such as smart watches that charge with sunlight or smart glasses that charge in the same way.
Now that you know the uses of solar energy, if you want to learn more about this renewable energy and discover more about its uses and advantages, we recommend this other article on What is solar energy and what it is for and this video from our YouTube channel on the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy.
If you want to read more articles similar to Uses of solar energy, we recommend that you enter our category of Renewable Energies.
