There is a
sense in which all energy is solar energy. Every energy source we have on
planet Earth derives originally from the Sun, although there could be arguments
over those that depend on the heat trapped deep down in the Earth’s mantle and
core. Every gallon of fuel you use started out as zillions of life-forms that
derived their energy from the rays of the Sun.
So what’s so
special about solar energy? Basically, it is using the Sun’s energy in a more
direct form. This can be done via the use of photovoltaic cells, that transform
the Sun’s heat into usable energy in the form of electricity, or via a system
that heats water that can then either be used directly or to power steam
turbines. The scale at which solar energy is usable can therefore be anything
from non-battery power for a pocket calculator to a huge array of cells that
can provide energy for a whole city. When the sun shines, its energy can be
used.
The main
disadvantage of solar energy, therefore, is that the sun does not always shine.
Even in the latitudes where most of the world’s population lives, night follows
day in roughly even proportions over the course of a year. Also, the reason for
those latitudes being so well populated is that weather systems (ironically
enough powered by the Sun) bring a regular supply of rain that falls from
clouds that obscure the Sun. So, the areas of the World that demand most energy
are those where the provision of that energy directly from the Sun are most
problematic.
There are
therefore going to be relatively few environments in which solar energy can be
the sole source of power. That means that the large investment necessary to
establish a major solar energy project can only provide a partial solution in
most places. Communities need to ask themselves how much of a commitment they
are willing to make, given that other energy sources will also be needed.
Of course,
energy supplied does not have to be used immediately. It can be stored for
later use, via batteries of various types. The difficulty here is that the
batteries used to store all that free energy may themselves consume a huge
amount of energy in their own manufacture and operation, and that the
manufacturing process may give rise to the creation of more atmospheric
pollution than is saved by the use of the solar energy that they end up
storing. There is also the cost of such storage, and the fact that free energy
may not be so cheap after all. Efforts are however being made towards solving
these problems and devising novel means of storing solar energy, including as
hydrocarbons that could be used as motor fuel.
There is also
the question of the land that has to be devoted to creating the sort of
facility that is necessary for powering whole communities, and the costs
involved. Part of Seville
in southern Spain
is currently being powered by the “solar tower”, a massive construction nearly
400 feet high that receives the reflected sunlight from an array of 600 steel
mirrors that are always moving to catch the Sun’s rays. It is the heat that
does the trick, as it powers steam turbines that in turn generate electricity
for 6,000 homes. The scheme is being expanded, and it will eventually be
virtually the sole energy provider for a city of 600,000 people.
The
disadvantages? The electricity currently being generated for Seville costs three times as much as that
from conventional sources. However, this is mainly due to the huge start-up
costs, which will diminish as the scheme expands and brings economies of scale.
Yes, the Sun goes down even in Spain ,
but the steam can be stored even if the sunlight cannot. The project does
occupy a considerable amount of space, but it is land that was not doing a lot
previously.
Indeed, these
schemes are best suited to areas of the world that are arid or semi-desert,
although the provision of water for steam generation could be an issue in such
regions (so arrays of photovoltaic cells make more sense), as could the costs
of transporting the captured energy to the population centres that need it.
Solar energy
has certain disadvantages, but these are vastly outweighed by the advantages
offered by an energy source that is readily available and pollution free. There
are problems, but they are well worth solving. Considering that Planet Earth
receives more energy from the Sun in an hour than the entire population uses in
a year, it is surely worth the effort!
© John
Welford
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