FXSTD – Alternative Energy Center

By: Abhishek Agarwal
The idea of solar energy started over 100 years ago, but the technology hasn't been as great as it is until today. With companies finding new ways to use renewable energy resources, solar energy is going to be more important. Solar energy is one of the best renewable energy sources because it is so abundant. We'll never have a sun drought, we'll never have to wait for the sun to pick up nor will we have to drill into earth like with many of the other renewable energy resources. However, to use solar power, we need solar panels. Solar panels are important because without them the idea of solar energy would be useless.

Solar panels work in two different ways. First there are solar cells that convert light energy into electricity. This is a little on the expensive side, which doesn't make it as popular as the way energy is used now. However, they are found on a number of products. Space shuttles and satellites use them. Parts of these are covered in solar panels. These objects have the space for all the panels it would need. Another way to use solar panels is by using the heat from the sun. The solar panel attracts the heat and heats up a liquid with a low boiling point. This liquid is transferred to water where steam is used in a generator. This process is simple, cheap and effective.

Solar panels come in different forms and there is no exact shape for one. There are different versions of solar power as well. There is concentrated solar power, which is a sea of mirrors combined together to attract the sun's heat. These are usually out in the desert and use thermal energy to create ways to heat homes, heat water and power machines. This type of energy is a little more expensive than wind energy, but costs less than photovoltaic energy, which is commonly used in households.

It has become cost effective to use solar power to heat and power your home. In the beginning stages of the production of solar panels, it took adventurous people to take a chance on it. Since the early stages, solar panels have been modified to attract to sun better. Different types of metal have been tested to see what works best. In the concentrated solar panels, which is also known as parabolic trough solar, aluminum is the best overall metal for its ability to attract the sun and sturdiness in an outside environment. The technology is getting cheaper for residents to use as the process gets more refined.

Solar panels are important to the evolution of the society. It is important for countries, such as the United States, to move away from the dependency on foreign oil and to use energy resources that are readily available. No one can deny the sun isn't a steady resource. Even on cloudy days, there should be enough light and leftover energy to power homes through the day. More countries have to discover ways to use solar panels as part of everyday life. The problem is it is still cheaper to use fossil fuels in the short term. In the long run, solar panels will be everywhere making energy cheaper than before.