Solar energy: potentials and problems

As our need for energy increases there is also a need to diversify into other forms of energy. The current forms of energy are either unsustainable in the long run or pollute the environment in one way or the other and this has led to a clamor for the development of clean and environmentally friendly forms of energy.

Image credit: pixabay

Countries around the world have recognized this trend and have started into other forms of energy- notably solar energy. China for example recently completed the world's largest floating solar power plant which generates energy at 40MW (Mega watts). Though this seems small in comparison to other forms of energy generation, but it represents a step in the right direction for the future of solar energy generation.

The drop in price of solar panels is an indication that we will see more solar power plants in the future. It has also been estimated that the price of solar panels will drop by another 25% in 2022, and this fall in price will cause many countries to begin the adoption of solar energy.

Although problems exist in the area of solar energy storage, this has not stopped companies like Tesla to look possibilities of providing solutions for solar energy storage. It is expected that in the near future more companies will begin move into this area thereby providing cheaper and more efficient forms of energy storage.

In this article I will bring to light some of the potentials for solar energy and also highlight some of the downsides to this form of energy.

Solar power Energy efficiency

In an article titled: IS SOLAR POWER WORTH THE INVESTMENT? by solarbyempire, it was said that the amount investment required to setup a solar energy systems may have you questioning if solar power is really worth it. This is true because the amount of energy that is captured by photo-voltaic cells is very minimal compared to the amount of light energy received from the sun.

Today most solar panels have a power efficiency of about 14 to 15 %, what this literally means is that the amount of solar energy that is being converted into electricity is roughly around 14 to 15%. So, what happens to the other 85%, why can't there be at least 80-90% conversion?

This represents a real problem for solar generation and is part of the reasons why solar energy has not yet been able to replace other forms of energy. Irrespective of this fact, advancement in solar energy can lead to the development of more energy efficient systems.

The DS1 (Deep Space 1) solar panels have the ability to convert 22% of their solar energy into electrical energy. The Deep Space 1 is a space satellite used for deep space missions. If this technology can be modified for home use, it will do better than the already available cells which cannot do better 14 to 15 % efficiency.

Research has been ongoing for the development of better light absorbing photo-voltaic cells, and with the use of what is known as multi-junction cells scientists have been able to achieve 40% energy efficiency. Though this cells are the most efficient available today, they are not yet commercially available to the public.

If more funding can be dedicated to solar research, there is every possibility that energy efficiency can hit up to 70 to 90%.

Another point I want to quickly mention is that the amount of energy that is produced is directly proportional to the amount of space available. What this means is that a smaller roof space can limit the amount of energy output, so for you to have more energy output, you will need to have a larger space.

Solar power energy storage

image source: Wikipedia - batteries for storing solar energy

The problem with solar power energy storage is that batteries don't last long and you have to keep recharging them over and over again. Storing more energy means installing more batteries and this can be a problem in areas with space constraints.

Some companies have gone the extra mile to solve the problem of energy storage, and some of the so

1. Tesla Battery Packs

The Tesla battery packs is a solution by Elon Musk in a bid to provide large scale solar power storage systems. The battery Packs are simply very large batteries that store more energy for longer periods of time than regular batteries.

Tesla's power pack which is about 100MW is the largest of it's kind in the world currently and is situated in Australia. The power-pack system is able to switch from charge able to switch from charge to discharge in seconds and can augment the currently available means of electricity.

2. Storing energy in molten salt

Molten salt can be used to store solar energy at a very high temperature. Molten salt is employed as a means of storing thermal energy, what this means is that unlike other means of storage that store light energy from the sun, this method stores the heat energy instead.

The heat absorbed from the sun is converted into steam which is used to power the steam turbines and generate electricity during bad weather. This method of storing energy has a 99% efficiency rating, which means it can store most of the heat energy absorbed.

Several power plants like the trough power plant in Spain and the Solar power tower project developed by solar reserve in the US take advantage of this technology.

This technology is still a work in progress as it cannot store energy for longer periods of time. Currently, only the Gemasolar Thermosolar power plant in Spain has been able to produce electricity for 24 hours using this method, but could only do so for 36 days.

Benefits of solar power

Image credit: pixabay

There are lots of benefits that can be derived from the use of solar energy. Taking into account several factors like low cost, energy bill reduction an job creation we can say that the benefits far outweigh the costs. Some of the benefits of solar power includes:

1. Reduced monthly expenses and increase in property value

With the installation of solar systems, home and business owners are provided with the option of reducing monthly energy expenses. It also adds to the value of the property and business the installed solar systems can be calculated as part of the property. Also, because of their beautiful design solar panels increases the attractiveness of the home on the market.

2. Environmental Impact

Solar energy does not cause any noise or air pollution. It doesn't produce green house gases and has the least impact on the environment unlike other sources of energy. It requires less water to maintain, unlike nuclear energy that requires more water.

3. The source of solar energy (the Sun) is available everywhere

The sun which is the source of solar energy is available everywhere and this makes it easy to deploy Solar power in any part of the world. This is particularly useful in remote areas that are not connected to the general power grid.

4. Job creation

Job creation comes from the installation and maintenance of solar panels. This can create wealth and boost the local economy.

In conclusion

Though solar energy isn't without any inherent problems, its still one of the best ways to go in terms of clean renewable energy.

The major problem of solar energy is that of storage, as batteries cannot efficiently store much of the energy captured. However, with a lot of research on going in this area, I feel this problem will be solved in the near future.

With all these problems mentioned do you think solar energy is worth the investment? well I do .

References

• The Cost of Solar Will Drop Another 25% by 2022
• China to build world's largest floating solar power plant in major commitment to renewable power
• Solar cell efficiency
• IS SOLAR POWER WORTH THE INVESTMENT?
• How efficient are solar panels?
• Multi-junction solar cell
• How to choose the best battery for a solar panel system
• How is Solar Energy Stored
• Tesla’s giant battery in Australia made around $1 million in just a few days
• Tesla Powerwall
• Tesla's massive batteries are powering everything from exotic islands to breweries (TSLA)
• Thermal energy storage
• SolarReserve
• Top 10 Benefits of Going Solar
• 7 Benefits of Using Solar Energy