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SOLAR ENERGY DEBATE HEATS UP
The world’s demand for all energy forms is anticipated to increase by fifty four per cent over the next two decades, according to forecasts by the US Energy Information Administration.Another long-term forecast from the EIA puts world electricity demand in 2025 at nearly twice what it is now.
Coal, oil and natural gas are among the fossil fuels which provide most of the world’s energy.These release energy when burnt but carbon dioxide is also released into the air during the burning process.These traditional energy resources won’t last forever and are not renewable and burning them leads to emissions which harm the environment, therefore there is a growing need to develop renewable energy sources such as wind, water, solar and geothermal.
Energy from the sun that reaches the surface of the earth is 6 000 times the amount of energy needed on earth a day. Solar energy has been used by humans to meet some of their energy needs since ancient times, but with growing global concern over environmental issues, it is becoming increasingly prevalent.
Energy from the sun is a workable alternative to the traditional energy sources of fossil fuels, and is mainly used for generating electricity and heating water.
In state-of-the-art city skyscrapers and sports stadia to ordinary homes in the heart of suburbia, solar energy provides a clean and cost-effective solution.For eg, the newly finished 55 000 seater stadium in Taiwan is the world’s first stadium to use solar energy technology to produce power. Built for the 2009 World Games, the gigantic 19-hecare structure has nearly 9 000 solar panels on its roof which will generate sufficient energy to power the building’s 3 300 lights and two enormous television screens.
Now that is solar energy on an enormous scale. For ordinary households however, solar power is a real alternative to conventional sources and can meet domestic energy needs cost-effectively and with very little maintenance.
Solar energy experts, Perth based Solar My World, say that by installing photovoltaic or solar panels on a domestic property, homeowners will ultimately save on electricity, add value to the house and contribute to creating a greener Australia.Two solar power systems, grid connect and off-grid, are available for property owners in Perth.
A grid connect system is usually installed in areas that are more built-up and will supply solar power to a household through an inverter.When the solar system generates power that is surplus to needs, that surplus may be ‘on-sold’ to the electricity grid where appropriate.The other type is a standalone system which uses a battery bank for energy storage.This system is more common in remote outlying areas where people have no or restricted access to traditional power sources.
Solar power systems can be designed for AC or DC, and can be expanded to meet growing needs making them very versatile systems.
Energy is the single largest contributor to the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, and as environmental concerns grow, the call for people to reduce their own CO2 emissions is growing louder.By using solar energy technology to generate power, the new Taiwanese stadium alluded to earlier in this article, will prevent 660 tons of carbon emissions each year.A decision to install solar panels in our homes could just be the energy needed to save the world.
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