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Facts About Solar Energy
Definition: energy in the form of light and heat. Solar energy allows life, and creates the weather/climate conditions we have on our earth.
Interesting Facts
- Power Used: if we used 0.001744% of the available solar energy on earth it would meet current global consumption.
- Greenhouses: romans were the first to build a green house. These allowed Roman’s to grow cucumbers all year round.
- Disinfection: exposing bottles of water to between 6 hours and two days (depends upon weather) can disinfect water. The world health organization recommends this method.
- Energy Weapon: Archimedes used polished shields to focus sunlight and force a Roman fleet away. Its still under debate, see this wikipedia page for details.
- Da Vinci: foretold the coming of the solar energy industry; he had an idea that we ought to use solar power (via concave mirrors) for water heating.
- Oil companies: some oil companies predict a huge increase in the use of solar energy. Shell oil expects we will rely on it for around 50% of our energy needs by the mid 21st century.
- Solar Powered Airplane: a solar powered plane traversed the USA in 1990 using no fuel.
Math Facts
- Energy needs: about 15% of the world is without electricity
- America’s consumption: the USA uses around 25% of the world’s energy.
- Solar energy received: The earth receives 174 PW at a constant rate.
- Amount reduced: the atmosphere reflects 6% of the solar energy & absorbs 16%. Clouds & dust reflect 20%, diffuse 20% and absorb 3% of the energy.
- Total energy absorbed by earth per year: 3850 zettajoules per year.
- Energy consumption per year: 0.0567 zettajoules
- Solar panels generally convert: About 15% of the incoming solar energy into electricity.
General Facts
- The word: solar power is quite similar to solar energy however it refers more to conversion of energy into electricity.
