Solar energy is the most abundant form of energy we have access to.
You will, by reading this brief essay, learn what, exactly, solar energy is, and why it’s important.
What Is Solar Energy?
Solar energy is the light and heat that emanates from the sun.
On its own, this light and heat does a great deal.
Our world is dependent on this light and heat for, without it, our plants would decay, the ecosystems containing those plants would die, the oceans would dry up; along with an abundance of other, equally unfortunate, transformations.
Even though the light and heat from the sun does so much, it can do even more.
With a variety of unique technologies – solar panels, being a major example – we can transform the sun’s light and heat into electricity.
We can use this electricity to power our machines, our devices, our vehicles, our homes, our cities; and so on and so forth
Right now, in fact, the amount of light and heat shining across the earth is more than enough to power every single electrical system our earth is currently dependent on.
You see, within just one-hour, the earth receives the equivalent of 173,000 terawatts of power.
To some, that may not sound like a lot. But, here’s a number to think about, if only for a moment: in 2017, we, as a global species, consumed just under 160,000 terawatts of power.
So, within the span of just one-hour, our earth receives more than enough solar energy to cover all of our global energy needs, with a little bit left-over.
Why Isn’t This Energy Being Harnessed?
Right now, there are two main problems preventing us, as a species, from properly harnessing the nearly-infinite energy abundance of the sun.
The first of these problems is that our solar panels are, quite frankly, not good enough.
Our solar panels cannot adequately capture all of, or even most of, the energy shining onto them.
To go along with that, we have a second problem, which is that our batteries lack the ability to properly store the enormous amount of energy that better solar panels could be able to capture.
Even though these hindrances are significant, they won’t always be.
Many of those working within the solar energy field are working to create better solar panels, while also working to create batteries that can store the energy those solar panels will capture.
The evolution of both devices is slow, but steady.
The manufacturing of both devices continues to become more inexpensive, though, allowing the average individual to acquire a decent solar energy system for a good price.
Just to give you one last number to think about, the average cost of a single solar panel is 90% less than it was in 2010.
Max Akin Writing 