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So what is Solar Energy and why is it so important to mankind? Sunlight or solar energy is by far the largest source of energy received by Earth. At current values the supply is vastly in excess of the world’s current and anticipated energy requirements. If suitably harnessed, this highly diffused source has the potential to satisfy all future energy needs. Solar energy is extremely attractive as a renewable energy source because of it’s inexhaustible supply and it’s nonpolluting character, in stark contrast to the fossil fuels coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Unfortunately, though solar energy itself is free, the high cost of its collection, conversion, and storage still limits its
exploitation. Flat-plate or solar panels are the most common devices used to capture solar energy and convert it to thermal energy. These are used for heating water and house heating. The efficiency of the panels ranges from 20 to 80 percent, depending on the design of the collector. Another form of capturing solar power is by using solar cells or photovoltaics. Classic crystalline silicon panels and emerging technologies using thin-film solar cells can be installed by homeowners and businesses on their rooftops to replace or boost the conventional electric supply. These supplies can also be stored in batteries for later use.
LED. I would like to mention that there have been some recent warnings about the possible negative effects the ‘blue light’ emitted from LED bulbs can have on our health, mainly eyes. But recent studies by various government organisations and the European Commission have found this not to be the case. Please check and make up your own minds. I can tell you that LEDs are up to 85% more energy efficient. Please consider using motion sensors on outdoor lighting, only having them on when absolutely necessary, and ensuring lamps are pointing downward and properly shielded so that the light isn’t causing light pollution. Fridges and freezers use a lot of power so make sure you have them set to the optimum setting to suit what you are storing and perhaps how many times you open the door. If you are going away, some fridges now come with a holiday setting, it keeps the power usage very low for the period you are away. Pumps and Filters for pools also use a lot of power and these need to be set to their minimum run period to keep the pool clean. It is worth discussing this with your pool maintenance company first. I have found that turning the time period down reduced my power bill by 20% which is not a small sum. And it’s not just about saving money, it’s also about reducing our power demands. Although Barbados BLP do incorporate solar energy as part of the island’s supply (you can view this on their website) it remains important to keep usage 35