May 23, 2017
JOULES MAGAZINE WHAT IS SOLAR ENERGY? HOW IS SOLAR ENERGY USED? By: Jaden Katz, Sofia Mueller, Sophia Marshall
SOLAR ENERGY
TABLE OF CONTENTS Energy Conservation Article……………………...………..….pg.3 Numbers in the News………………………………………..….pg.4 Graph Explanation……………………………………………....pg.5 Fun Facts about Solar Energy……………………..………….pg.6 Wind Energy Ad……………………………...…………….…….pg.7 What is Solar Energy Article………………………...……....pg.8/9 Nuclear energy ad…………………..………………………….pg.10 Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources………...……...pg.11 Solar Panel Cleaners AD………………………..…………….pg.12 How is Solar Energy Used Article………………….…...pg.13/14 References………………………………………………..……..pg.15
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ENERGY CONSERVATION RELATED TO SOLAR ENERGY By: Sophia Marshall
Energy can be saved in many ways, like using Solar Panels. A better way to power your home is to use clean power. Solar power systems derive clean, pure energy from the sun. Installing solar panels in your home helps combat greenhouse gas emissions and reduces our collective dependence on fossil fuel. Traditional electricity is sourced from fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. When fossil fuels are burned to produce electricity, they emit harmful gases that are the primary cause of air pollution and global warming. Not only are fossil fuels bad for the environment, they’re a finite resource.
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Numbers in the News By: Jaden and Sofia Mueller
The amount of solar power added
1% of US homes have converted to
worldwide soared by some 50% last year because of a sun rush in the US and China, new figures show.
solar energy.
Germany is the number producer in solar panels
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There are 9,000 Solar Energy companies in every U.S. state.
Nearly 260,000 Americans work in solar that number is expected to increase to more than 360,000 workers Pg. 4
GRAPH EXPLANATION By: Sofia Mueller
In the graph below it shows the countries with the most global solar Generation from 2003-2012. All of the countries started out small in 2003 but it increased as the years went by into the highest increase is in 2012. Germany is the country with the most Global Solar Generation. And the country with the least Global Solar Generation is Belize. All of the countries listed on the graph have all increased in Global Solar Generation and are trying to decrease the amount of pollution that goes into our earth.
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FUN FACTS By: Sofia Mueller
Solar energy refers to energy from the sun and turns it into energy that can power a hair dryer to a house. Solar power produces no pollution and is a free source of energy. The cost of solar panels has dropped by 80% since 2008 and it is expected to keep downgrading. As of 2016, the average cost of solar energy alone was about $0.12 per kilowatt, which is fairly cheap compared to other energy sources. Most solar panels have a 25-year warranty, and if you rent or lease, most companies provide free maintenance. Many states allow you to sell the excess solar energy you produce, meaning you can not only earn back the cost of your panels but also make a profit on energy in the long run. Solar energy is cheap and keeps the environment clean.
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WIND ENERGY
INSTALL WIND TURBINES TO SAVE ENERGY CALL 1(800) - 334 - 6554 Prices start at $5,000 Page 7
WHAT IS SOLAR ENERGY By: Sofia Mueller
Solar energy is radiant energy emitted by the sun, it is also the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available. Solar energy is lauded as an inexhaustible fuel source that is pollution- and often noise-free. Photovoltaic cells, or solar panels, are found on things like spacecrafts, rooftops, and handheld calculators. The cells are made of semiconductor materials like those found in computer chips. When sunlight hits the cells, it knocks electrons loose from their atoms and as the electrons flow through the cell, they generate electricity. solar-thermal power plants use many techniques to concentrate the sun's energy as a heat source. The heat is then used to boil water to drive a steam turbine that generates electricity, supplying it for thousands of people. The advantage of solar energy is that it is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. While fossil fuels have an expiration date that may be fast approaching, the sun is likely to be around for at least a few billion years. 73,000 terawatts of solar energy shine down on the Earth’s surface every day, which is 10,000 times the daily global energy use. That’s an enormous supply just waiting for the technology that can harness it. The one environmental downside to solar technology is that it contains many of the same hazardous materials as electronics Page 8
WHAT IS SOLAR ENERGY (CONTINUATION)
As solar becomes a more popular energy, the problem of disposing the hazardous waste becomes an additional challenge. One of the biggest problems that solar energy technology has is that energy is only generated while the sun is shining. That means on cloudy days or during the night, energy can not be harnessed because there is no sun to power the panels. Germany, a leader in solar energy technology is now focusing on developing energy storage to deal with this issue. Solar energy may take up a significant amount of land and cause land degradation or habitat loss for wildlife. While solar PV systems can be fixed to already existing structures, larger utility-scale PV systems may require up to 3.5 to 10 acres per megawatt and CSP facilities require anywhere from 4 to 16.5 acres per megawatt. In the last decade solar energy has experienced a rapid growth and not only did the number of installed solar units increase, solar energy has become a major player in the US economy. In 2015, some 210 000 people worked in the solar energy business. Researchers at MIT believe that the solar energy has the potential to generate multi-terawatt scale power. In comparison, today’s largest solar farm has a 550-megawatt capacity. This is a clear sign of the growth potential of solar energy. Solar energy will soon be the energy seen all Page 9 around the world.
CLEANER and SAFER Invest in next generation nuclear technology towards a low-carbon future
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RENEWABLE AND NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES TO SOLAR ENERGY By: Jaden Katz
There are many kinds of renewable and nonrenewable resources to solar energy. Renewable energy is energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power. Nonrenewable energy is a resource of much value that cannot be replaced by any natural means. Solar energy happens to be a renewable source of energy that is sustainable and totally inexcusable. It is also a non-polluting source of energy and it does not emit any greenhouse gases when producing electricity. Renewable resources such as the movement of water, wind and radiant energy from geothermal heat (used for geothermal power) and solar energy are practically infinite and cannot be depleted. First off, let’s state the obvious: solar energy is, of course, renewable. Solar panels transmit the sun’s light into electricity with no effect on how much sunlight we’ll have in the future. 100 years from now, it doesn’t matter if we have 100 solar panels or 1 million – it wouldn’t affect the amount of sunlight we receive in the slightest any, which shows how important solar energy really is in our world. Sunlight is an infinite energy source to Solar Energy.
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GET YOUR SOLAR PANELS CLEANED CALL 1-800-SOLARPANELS PRICINGS MAY VARY
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HOW SOLAR ENERGY IS USED By: Sophia Marshall
Solar photovoltaic cells consist of a positive and a negative film of silicon placed under a thin slice of glass. Solar power is arguably the cleanest, and most reliable form of renewable energy available, and it can be used in several; forms to help power your home or business. Solar powered photovoltaic (PV)panels convert the sun's rays into electricity by exciting electrons in silicon cells using the protons of light from the sun. Solar energy can also be used through a roofing system. In most solar systems, solar panels are placed on the roof. An ideal site will have no shade on the panels, especially during the prime sunlight hours of 9am to 3pm. These solar panels are a great way to save energy for homes and businesses. Solar panels transform incoming sunlight into electricity rather than heat. As the photons of the sunlight beat down upon these cells, they knock the electrons off the silicon. The negatively-charged free electrons are preferentially attracted to one side of the silicon cell, which creates an electric voltage that can be collected and channeled. This current is gathered by wiring the individual solar panels together in series to form a solar photovoltaic array.Depending on the size of the installation, multiple strings of solar photovoltaic array cables terminate in one electrical box, called a fused array combiner. Contained within the combiner box are fuses designed to protect the individual module cables, as well as the connections that deliver power to the inverter.
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HOW SOLAR ENERGY IS USED Continuation..
The electricity produced at this stage is DC (direct current) and must be converted to AC (alternating current) suitable for use in your home or business. Many electronics also comsume a lot of power, and they have become a common solar power use in todays world. There are solar powered chargers that can charge anything from a cell phone to a tablet. There are even solar powered flashlights that can be charged by being exposed to sunlight. Air conditioning can also save a lot of energy by also being exposed to light. Now as the world moves away from fossil fuels and seeks renewable sources for everyday electronics, ther is no doubt that solar will continue to be adapted by the masses for any product that can be exposed to sunlight. If solar products are used more to reinvent the way we think about power usage, and reverse the expectation for how devices should be charged.Solar lighting is also a great way to save power for a home. The solar lights can be connected to solar panels which are charged by light from the outdoors, which make the electricty bill much cheaper. Solar energy is used in many ways in our everyday lives.
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REFERENCES Imboden, P. B. (2017, May 20). Solar Power Has Benefits as a Source of Alternative Energy. Retrieved May 23, 2017, from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/sola r-power/ Solar Energy. (n.d.). Retrieved May 23, 2017, from http://www.seia.org/about/solar-energy Solar Initiative. (n.d.). Retrieved May 23, 2017, from https://www.southernenvironment.org/cases-and-projects/solar-initiati ve?gclid=CjwKEAjwu4_JBRDpgs2RwsCbt1MSJABOY8anR1GYbDS VmnFLAnPagQLTbr6yr_ctu_qE89b_34MQFhoCt9Hw_wcB
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