Fun Facts About Solar Energy

There are plenty of cold, hard facts about solar energy out there, but what about fun facts about solar energy?

While solar energy and its related renewable energy cousins, such as wind, geothermal and hydroelectricity, are serious business and options that are being considered to be potential saviors of our planet as we look at a future that has the threat of global warming hanging over it, i am not saying to say there's not a lighter side to solar and renewable energy.

Sometimes you've just already a little bit of fun and let off some steam in amongst all the serious business of saving money and preserving the planet, so let's do just that and have a look at some fun facts about solar energy.

1. Solar energy is available to us in 2 forms - light and heat.

2. When you open your drapes each morning to let some light in, were you aware that you're also heating up your home?

3. The speed of light is 186,282 miles per second and it takes light approximately 8 minutes to reach Earth. So, light covers the distance of over 90 million miles from the sun within just 10 minutes!

4. Particles of light are called photons.

5. The "photovoltaic effect" was discovered in the 19th century by French physicist, Edmund Becquerel, when he noticed that when light struck a semiconductor material such as selenium, it generated a small electrical charge.

6. The word photovoltaic is combining the words "photon", meaning, a particle of light, and "volt", being a measure of electrical force.

7. Modern solar cells operate using the photovoltaic effect, with silicon acting as the semiconductor.

8. Next time you eat Springlike chips, don't throw the tube away. You may use it to heat hot dogs! It's true. You simply need the can, a skewer (slightly longer than the can), copier transparency and Scotch tape. Cut a rectangular opening about 6 inches by 3 inches in the heart of the can in an attempt to create 2 flaps. Pull the flaps back and cover the opening with the transparency. Put a hole in the metal end of the can and one in the plastic top. Thread a hot dog onto the skewer and put the skewer inside the can so one end goes through the hole in the metal end and then thread the hole in the plastic top over the other end of the skewer, so your skewer with the hot dog on it is suspended in the center of the can. Take the cooker out and place it in direct sunlight, adjusting it once in a while to be sure it's tracking the sun, and, within 30 minutes or so, you will have a freshly cooked hot dog!

9. In the 19th century, John Herschel, a British astronomer, cooked food using solar thermal heat while on an African expedition (Now you ask ,, what did he cook?!!??! A hot dog?).

10. Solar panels and solar collectors are not similar. A panel converts sunlight to electricity and a collector absorbs heat which it transfers to air or liquid.

11. The sun beams down more energy in 1 hour than the whole planet can use in an entire year.

12. Solar energy is used to power more than 10,000 houses in the U.S.A.

In the serious world of solar, a world that sometimes takes itself too seriously, it's good to let off steam and lighten things up a bit and just have some powerful fun. Hopefully, these facts made your solar day a little more fun.

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September 16 2010 | Home Improvement | No Comments »

Solar Panels For Your Home To Save Money

The largest sources of energy that we are currently using will eventually run dry. As we run out of non-renewable sources of energy, they are also getting more expensive. Renewable sources of energy are the way of the future but many people still don't believe that it is cost-effective for their own homes.

Costly and Complex? Not anymore!

If you pay somebody to install your solar panels for you, it may cost more than $3000 easily. But surprisingly, if you have a good manual for it its not actually a complicated task.

There are many guides on the Internet that show you how to do just that, and you can build solar panels starting at surprisingly low prices to save 80% on your electric bill or more.

Many of these manuals are easy enough that anybody with basic knowledge of tools and access to a hardware store can do it. Alternative energy is low-maintenance and low-cost, and the price is dropping every day due to better technology.

Government Grants

Make sure that any guide you get shows you this secret, for sure.

You can also get government grants to install solar panels - these guides can show you how to get $1000's back from the government by installing your own alternative energy sources. Free money for clean energy!

Power Companies Will Also Give You Money

If you conserve energy and send more to the grid than you use, your energy meter will go backwards and your power company will send you a check for the power you give them. By doing this you're not only making money but reducing the use of traditional sources of energy such as coal.

Save the Environment But Don't Pay The Price

You can either do something about our failing environment or you can just go and watch more TV about it like everybody else...

Now that you can actually profit from going green, you have no excuse!

How to get started?

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April 03 2009 | Home Improvement | No Comments »