Examples Of Solar Energy That We Use Today
Solar energy has been used for thousands of years, whether it is to dry clothes or warm water humans have always been enjoying the natural warmth and rays of the sun. Today though we embrace the sun in a way that would have been unthinkable until relatively recently, solar power. Being able to harness the sun’s rays to power homes and for commercial use and be cheap enough that almost anybody can use an unlimited supply of clean energy in this environmentally day and age.
It doesn’t take long if you walk or drive around to see solar panels installed on properties these days, they are becoming more and more popular. With a limited expense to install local solar energy installers are busy keeping up with what many view as the best thing to help the planet and reduce electricity utility bills. With a reasonable budget, your home can be largely self-sufficient from the power companies and you can even in some cases sell them electricity from unused power that you have generated, making a profit for yourself.
Having Solar Power in Your Home
Heating the home for many people is an expensive annual cost but it can be massively reduced by the installation of solar panels used to help heat the home in colder states but is incredibly popular for heating swimming pools in California. The energy collected and stored can also be used to heat the water in homes, ideal for the bathroom and for kitchens. After the initial investment, it can take as little as 2 years to recoup the money that was used for installation and the savings made on electricity bills.
Solar ventilation is especially helpful in reducing the cost of air conditioning bills, having fans installed and connected to the solar panels can help maintain airflow and can be adjusted to cool the air, and in colder climates help to bring in and warm the air of your home.
Solar Can Improve The Security Of Your Home
We all like to think our homes are secure and safe for our families and solar power can help with this by providing cheap and cost-effective lighting to help with home and business security and peace of mind. By installing solar lights which have independent solar panels built into them reduces the need for them to be attached to the main grid of the property you can have a motion sensor array of lights and alarms or lights that will stay on all night and charge themselves in the morning when the sun comes up.
Whilst not in the home, solar lighting has been embraced by many towns and cities across the world to help with street lights and traffic signals on our roads. Reducing the community electricity bills and helping to save money for other more needed projects. With little maintenance and able to recharge during the day they help to save lives.
Solar Energy Can Help to Save Lives
For people who love the outdoors and the many ways, we can enjoy the fresh air either camping, hiking, or more extreme sports solar power can mean the difference between life or death. We often carry power banks to recharge our devices but if for example when hiking your phone is low on battery and you may have used the charge on your power bank there is nowhere to plug anything in.
Creative inventors have made it possible to recharge the phone or the two-way radio by using solar power, small, light, and weather-resistant. It is the perfect way of recharging whilst on the go should any emergency arise that requires medical help or assistance. Even as far back as the 1970s mining companies in remote areas have been using solar power to generate electricity for miles of the grid and to save money on fuel for generators.
A Clean and Unlimited Supply of Energy For Transport
Railroad manufacturers from lighting the track to rail carriages are now looking to solar energy to power the trains that we commute on every day to work or for leisure purposes. Trains are being installed with solar panels in many countries to help reduce the carbon footprint and reduce costs which are typically quite expensive. Buses and other forms of public transport have started to integrate the technology especially in Europe and the United States in an effort to reduce carbon emissions from being emitted into the atmosphere.
Car manufacturers are also taking solar power seriously with races that promote solar energy held in Australia and America taking place. Recently the aviation industry has also seen the Solar Impulse 2 plane complete an around the world journey proving that solar power can be harnessed for commercial and pleasure use.
Everyday Use That is Being Used and Developed
With so many applications that solar power can be used to replace fossil fuels for our energy consumption and people’s mindsets now aware of the harm, we are doing to the planet are switching to green technology, the uses that are being employed range from:
- Wearable devices
- Thermostats
- Cell phones
- Rechargeable flashlights
- Outdoor freezers/mini-fridges
- Solar dryers
- Tablets
- Music speakers
As tech giants slowly move towards improving their technology and consumers define a new pattern of spending on eco-friendly products the list and range of the items available will only increase. Solar technology is being developed that will even power your smartwatch in the near future meaning never missing another appointment.
Solar Power Cheap to Install And You Get Money Back
With governments and the general public now accepting that there is a need to help the earth and its delicate environment solar energy is being taken seriously as a way to reduce and hopefully eliminate fossil fuels, preventing further damage to the planet. With this in mind, many governments are offering incentives to install green technology in our homes and businesses including solar power. Tax benefits and refunds are being offered after the installation of green technology giving a financial incentive to property owners to install these systems.
So many private businesses and homeowners now use solar power the industry is expected by 2022 to surpass $420 billion which is a massive increase from 2015 which was estimated to be $85 billion annually. For investors, it has also been a good time with solar energy companies enjoying massive gains, and will most likely only increase as the technology employed is improved upon and used more and more across the globe for home use and business.
Summary
Solar power and the energy it produces is limitless and now that the governments of the world have recognized the potential that is so abundant and relatively cheap to harness the need for fossil fuels and their destructive qualities can hopefully be consigned to history. It is going to take for the planet to regenerate from the stress we have put it through but with green technology including solar power, hydro and wind turbines it is hoped we can reverse the damage already done before it is too late.
A bonus to helping the planet and the future ecology for generations to come is also a financial one, whatever your reasons for doing so the end result is the same, a cleaner and brighter future for our children and their children.