What Is Solar Energy?
What is solar energy anyways? It’s exactly as it sounds — solar energy is the energy you get from the sun. The energy that you see is light, and the energy you feel as heat is the sun. These are both constituted as solar radiation.
All across the earth, this solar radiation varies. Hawaii receives a different amount of sunlight compared to Maine. Even places just a few miles away could experience varying amounts of solar radiation per year.
One of the greatest benefits of solar energy is that it is clean and renewable. Most of the energy that Americans use comes from nonrenewable resources that emit carbon dioxide emissions. However, the sun’s energy can be captured, and in the process of turning it into electricity, very few to zero emissions are released.
Additionally, the sun is renewable. It shines regardless of human processes on earth. Nonrenewable energy sources may run out sometime, but the sun will shine forever. You can always count on the sun to provide you with clean energy.
Solar Energy Then
Solar energy is not a new concept. People centuries ago used the sun for daily activities and tasks. While people didn’t use the sun’s energy how it is commonly used today, it was still an essential source for them to be able to live and survive.
Have you ever watched a survival show where the person used the sun to start a fire or been in a science class where you used a magnifying glass to light a piece of paper on fire? That practice began in the 7th century B.C. The sun’s rays are concentrated in the magnifying glass, which heats something enough to start a fire.
