Amazing Solar Power Fun Facts

Here is a collection of remarkable solar power fun facts. People have used the sun as a heat resource for thousands of years. It is only with the developments in technology that have taken place in recent years that have enabled us to finally harness this energy.

Families in ancient Greece designed their homes to get the most sunlight through the cold winter months. The ancient Greeks thought that the sun was the god Helios and he drove his chariot round the earth towards the sky in the morning and in the evening back again.

The discovery of the photovoltaic effect is credited to the French physicist Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel in 1839.

In 1921 the Nobel Peace Prize was given to Albert Einstein for investigations with solar power and photovoltaics.

Back in 1955 The American Solar Energy Society conducted its first meeting in Phoenix and attracted the first Russian scientist to the US after the second World War. There is film footage presenting early photovoltaics which was designed for NASA, solar cookers and solar heating panels.

The first solar flight took place in 1974 in California by an unmanned plane which was developed by two brothers Roland and Bob Boucher.

In 1975 the earliest solar vessel had been crafted in England and in 1996 Kenichi Horie from Japan made the first solar powered crossing of the Pacific Ocean using a catamaran.

The earliest World Solar Challenge took place in 1987. This is a solar-powered car competition covering 3021 km over the Australian outback from Darwin to Adelaide.

Did you know it is actually possible to boost any solar power panel productivity by 75% simply by placing a mirror that is approximately twice the size of the panel on the surface in front of the solar panel?

Photo voltaic cells do not need direct sunshine to work - you may still generate some electricity on a cloudy day.

Solar electricity is an eco-friendly, renewable power that does not put out any harmful carbon dioxide or other pollution. An average home PV system could save about 1200kg of CO2 each year which is about 30 tonnes during a lifetime.

You can store the electrical energy that a solar power system generates in batteries for a cloudy day.

You can sell any excess electricity you generate with your solar power back to the grid making a little bit of money.

It takes only about 8 minutes for solar energy to travel from the sun to the the earth.

Around 30% of the radiation we get from the sun at the upper atmosphere is actually reflected back up into space. The rest is absorbed by the clouds, oceans and land masses on Earth. Nevertheless even in these types of conditions, the power which our planet gets from merely a single hour of sun exposure is equivalent to the amount of power that humans use within a whole year.

Large scale solar projects which are currently being developed world wide show that sun powered clean energy technologies are both attainable and profitable. Solar power plants produce Megawatts (MW) with one MW being enough energy to supply 1000 households. One of the most significant solar power projects which the world has ever seen is the "Desertec" program to use the uninhabitable North African desert for a power grid of concentrated thermal power stations which could supply Europe with just about all of its energy requirements by the year 2050. So much progress within such a short period of time let us all see exactly where solar electricity will go from here.

Hydroelectric Energy Has Become The Most-Invested-In Alternative Energy Reserve For The Time Being
When it comes to talking about alternative energy resources, there really are quite a few. Throughout the many years quite a few discoveries have been made and it is only in this present era that people are actually harnessing the power of Nature.

Small Solar Panels For Small Scale Alternative Energy
There has never been a better time to build a small solar panel, make a move to low carbon living and begin to save money on your electricity bills.

Additional Energy For The Home
The trend toward homes that are powered by alternative energy sources, ranging from wind turbines and solar collection cells to hydrogen fuel cells and biomass gases, is one that needs to continue into the 21 st century and beyond.

Develop Your Open Air Space By Using Solar Outdoor LED Lights
You can find solar LED lights which have been made especially for the outside. These lights can exist through extreme weather conditions. There are also solar lights that feature vandal-proof panels. The actual fact that most of these are automatic also adds to their effectiveness.

The Rewards And Disadvantages Involving Solar Power
Although solar energy is known to be very environmentally friendly, it also has some disadvantages. Let's discuss some advantages and disadvantages of solar energy.

Renewable Energy Investments - The Shift From Standard To Resourceful
The oil market is not the only market that's looking up. You'll find that alternative fuel stocks are also attracting many investors.

Aluminum Frame Replacement Windows - Intelligent Approach For Energy Efficiency
What with soaring energy and fuel costs, energy efficiency in your home or business is more important today than ever before.

How To Take Full Advantage Of The Utilization Of Solar Tube Skylights
Solar tube skylights not only use sunlight to bring comfort, but they also cut electricity costs and improve the mood of the people living under that roof.

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