What is Solar Energy?

There are {many benefits to|numerous benefits of|many advantages to} {clean energy beyond|green energy that go beyond|clean energy , and it’s not just about} {being|the fact that it is|simply being} “green”. {This sector is growing|The sector is expanding|The industry is expanding} and {creating|is creating new} jobs. It also makes {electricity grids|the electricity grid} more {resilient and expands|robust and improves|durable and increases} {access to energy in|the availability of energy for|access to energy for those in} {developing countries|the developing world|emerging countries}. {And it helps lower|It also helps reduce|Additionally, it reduces} {energy costs|the cost of energy|energy prices}. {These factors have all|All of these factors have|All these factors have} {contributed to the recent revival|been a factor in the recent rise|played a role in the recent revival} of renewable energy{,| sources,} {with solar and wind setting|with wind and solar setting|which has seen wind and solar set} {new records in electricity generation|new records for electricity production|records for electricity generation}.

{Over the last|In the past|In the last} 150 years, {humankind|humanity|mankind} has {relied heavily upon|heavily relied on|relied heavily on} {oil, coal|coal, oil}{, and other| and various| and other} fossil fuels {for powering|to power} everything{,|} {from light bulbs to|including light bulb to|starting from lighting bulbs,} {cars|automobiles} and factories{ to|, from|, and from} {cars to vehicles|automobiles to cars|vehicles to automobiles}. The greenhouse {gasses|gases} {released by fossil fuels from|produced by fossil fuels|generated by fossil fuels} burning {them have reached historic|have hit record|them have reached record} {highs|levels|records}.

The {average temperature|temperature average} of the {surface is rising|earth’s surface is increasing|Earth’s surface is rising} {because greenhouse gases trap|due to greenhouse gases trapping} heat that {would otherwise escape|could otherwise escape|could otherwise go} {to|into|out into} space. Global warming is {one sign|a sign|one of the signs} {of climate change|that climate changes are taking place|to the onset of climate shift}. Scientists {now use|are now using|use} the term{ to|”global warming” to|”climate change” to} {describe the complex changes affecting|explain the complicated changes that affect|describe the complex changes that affect} the {weather and climate|climate and weather} systems {on our|of our|that exist on the} planet. Climate change {includes|can be described as|is characterized by} {rising temperatures|increasing temperatures|the rising temperature}{, extreme weather events| extreme weather events| extreme weather conditions}{, shifting wildlife habitats| changing habitats for wildlife| shifts in wildlife habitats} and {populations, rising seas|population growth, rising seas|increasing sea levels} and {many other impacts|a myriad of other effects|other impacts}.

{Renewables, like any|Like any|Like every} other {source of energy|energy source}{, have their own| are not without their own set of| come with their own} trade-offs. One of {these|them} {is the definition of renewable electricity|are the terms used to define renewable electricity|can be described as renewable electricity}. Renewable energy, {strictly speaking|in its strictest sense|as it is defined}{, is exactly| is precisely| is exactly} what you {might believe|think it is|would expect}. {It is either perpetually available|It’s always available|It’s either always accessible} or{, as| according to| as} {the|according to the|it is described by the} U.S. Energy Information Administration {says|declares|states}, “virtually unlimited.” {However|But|Although}, “renewable,” does not {necessarily mean sustainable as|mean that it is sustainable, as|necessarily mean sustainable . There} are {opponents to large|the main opponents to|those who oppose large} {hydropower dams or corn-based ethanol|power dams, or corn-based ethanol|Hydropower Dams and corn-based Ethanol}. {It doesn’t include|It does not include|This doesn’t mean} other {resources with|sources with|sources that have} {low- or no-emissions that|emissions that are low or zero, and|emission-free or low emissions that} {also have advocates like|are also backed by advocates, such as|also have advocates such as} {energy efficiency and nuclear power|nuclear power and energy efficiency}.

3 Examples of Renewable Energy sources

Hydropower: {People have used|Humans have used|People have utilized} the {energy|power} of rivers for {centuries|long periods of time|many centuries} {to harness their power|in order to tap into their energy|for harnessing their potential}{ and build| and construct|, and to build} dams to {regulate water flow|control the flow of water|regulate the flow of water}. The {world’s largest source of|largest resource in the world for|biggest source of} national renewable energy {laboratories|labs} is hydropower. It is {a major producer|the largest producer|a major source} of hydropower{, with| and has| which includes} China, Brazil and Canada {being the top|being the biggest|as the leading} producers. {Although hydropower can theoretically be|While hydropower is theoretically|Although hydropower could theoretically be} {a source of clean energy|an energy source that is clean|an alternative source of clean energy} that {is replenished by|can be replenished by|is replenished through} {rain or snow|snow or rain}{, there are several downsides| however, there are a few drawbacks| but there are many drawbacks}.

Large dams {can|may} {cause disruption to|disrupt|create disruptions to} {river ecosystems|the river ecosystem} and communities. {This can result in|This could lead to|The result could be} {the displacement of residents and|displacement of residents as well as} wildlife. Silt {buildup|accumulation|build-up} {can cause hydropower generation to|could cause hydropower generation to|can cause hydropower generation} {be less efficient and damage|be less efficient , and also damage|become less efficient and cause damage to} equipment. {Drought can also lead to|The drought can also cause|Dry conditions can cause} {problems|issues}. According to a {2018 study|study from 2018|study in 2018}{,|} {carbon dioxide emissions in|CO2 emissions from|carbon dioxide emission levels in} the Western U.S. were 100 megatons {more than normal|higher than normal|higher than usual} over a {15 year period|15-year period|period of 15 years}. This {was due to utilities turning|resulted from utilities switching|was due to utilities switching} {to coal and gas|to gas and coal|on gas and coal} {to replace lost hydropower|to replenish the hydropower lost|in order to replace the lost hydropower} {due to|because of} drought. Hydropower{ even at its full|, even when it is at its maximum| even at its highest} capacity{ has its emissions problems| is not without its emission issues|, has emissions issues} {as the decaying organic material|because the organic matter that is decomposing|since the organic material that decays} in reservoirs {emits|releases} methane.

{Not only are dams the|Dams are not only the|Dams aren’t the only} {best way to harness|most efficient method to harness|best method of harnessing} {water’s power, but so|the power of water, but so|the power of water, but also} {is wave and tide|are tide and wave|is tide and wave} energy. {Although marine energy projects generate|Even though marine energy projects produce|While marine energy projects account for} less than {1% of all renewables|1percent of all renewable energy|one percent of renewable energy}{, they still| however, they| but they still} {have the potential to produce|can produce|are able to generate} 500 megawatts. This {area has been encouraged|is a trend that has been boosted|has been made possible} {by programs like|through programs such as|by programs such as} {the|that of the|The} Saltire Prize in Scotland.

Wind{:|} {Wind energy|The energy of wind|Energy from wind turbines} has been {used|utilized} {as a source of energy|to generate energy|for energy production} for {over|more than} {7,000|7700|seven thousand} years. Wind turbines{ that generate| that produce|, which generate} electricity are now {proliferating|thriving|popping up} {all over the world|across the globe|throughout the world}{, with| and include| including} China{,| and| as well as} the U.S. {The|and Europe being the most prominent.|It is believed that the} United States and Europe are the {leading|top|largest} producers of wind {energy|power}. Between 2001 {and|between 2001 and|to} 2017{, the world’s accumulated| the world’s total|, the world’s cumulative} wind power {increased 22-fold|increased by 22 times|grew by 22-fold}. It was 23,900 {mw|megawatts|MW}{, but it could generate| however, it was able to generate| and it could produce} 539,000 megawatts.

{While some may be displeased|Although some might be dissatisfied|Although some might be unhappy} {at|with|about} {the way wind turbines appear|the way wind turbines are positioned|how wind turbines look} {on the horizon or their|in the sky or their|at the horizon, or the} {sound, wind energy|noise, wind energy|sounds, wind power} is {becoming|now} {too valuable to ignore,|more valuable than ever|an asset that is too valuable to be ignored,} {with its declining|due to its decreasing|because of its falling} {prices|costs|cost}. {Although most|While the majority of|Although the majority of} wind power {is generated|comes} {from onshore turbines most|by onshore turbines, the majority|through onshore turbines, most} of it {comes from|is generated by} offshore wind farms. {The most prominent being|Most prominently, they are located|The most well-known are} {in the|situated in|those in} U.K. and Germany. In 2016{,|} {the first|one of the first|the very first} U.S. offshore wind {farm was|farm|farms was} {opened|inaugurated|launched} {in|located in|within} Rhode Island. {Other offshore projects|Others offshore wind farms|The other offshore developments} are{ also|} {gaining momentum|growing in popularity|getting more attention}. Wind turbines {pose a threat|pose a risk|are a danger} to {birds and bats|bats and birds}. They kill {hundreds of thousands|thousands of bats and birds} {each year, although|annually, but|every year, though} {not as many as from|they are not as numerous as|less than} collisions with glass{ or other threats|, or other threats| or other dangers} {such as habitat loss and|like habitat loss or|such as habitat destruction and} {invasive|the spread of invasive|invading} species. Engineers are {looking for|seeking|searching for} ways to make {them more|them|these} {safe for flying wildlife|secure for wildlife flying through them|secure for flying wildlife}.

Solar{: Solar cells| cells: Solar panels} {are changing the energy market|have revolutionized the energy market|are changing the energy industry} {around the globe|all over the world|across the globe}{, from rooftops on| from the rooftops of| and are being used on rooftops in} {homes to large-scale farms|houses to farms on a large scale|homes to huge-scale farms}. The {world’s installed photovoltaic panel|photovoltaic panel’s installed|installed photovoltaic panel} {energy capacity has increased|capacity for energy has grown|capacity has increased} by 4,300 percent {in|during|over} the {decade|10 years|period} {between 2007 and 2017|between 2007 and 2017}.

{Apart from solar panels that|In addition to solar panels that|Apart from solar panels , which} convert direct sunlight {to|into} electricity{, concentrating| Concentrating} {sun|sunlight|solar} power (CSP){,|} plants also {use|make use of|employ} mirrors to {concentrate|focus} solar power plants{ and derive| and extract|, and to extract} thermal energy. {The|It is believed that the|CSP is a popular method of generating thermal energy.} U.S., Japan and China are {the leaders|the top three countries|leaders} in {solar|the field of solar} transformation. {However, solar still|But solar|However, solar} {has a lot of work|needs a lot|requires a lot} to {do|complete|be done}. In 2017{,|} {the|it was estimated that the|in the} U.S. generated around two percent {total|of the|of all} electricity. {Worldwide, solar thermal energy|Around the world, solar thermal energy|In the world, solar thermal power} is{ being|} {used for|utilized for|used to power} {solar heating and cooling|cooling and heating in the sun|solar cooling and heating}{, as well as| and| as well as} {hot water|hot water}.

Solar energy can be used to power your home

{Installing a solar photovoltaic|The installation of a photovoltaic solar|A solar photovoltaic} {home|house|residential} system is the {best|most efficient|ideal} {way|method|option} to {save money on|reduce the cost of|conserve money on} solar energy. The [xfield_company{]|company’s|The Shneyder Solar} Solar Marketplace is a great {place to start your|location to begin your|starting point to} {search for the perfect|search for the ideal|look for the right} {system at the right|system for your needs at a reasonable|solution at the right} {price|cost}. {Sign up to receive free|Join today to receive no-cost|Sign up for free} {quotes from pre-vetted, qualified|estimates from pre-screened, certified|quotes from pre-screened, qualified} solar installers {near your location|in your area|close to your location}. It’s {easy|simple} {to compare quotes and|to evaluate quotes, and|for you to review quotes as well as} {understand|comprehend|to understand} {key metrics like|the most important metrics, such as|crucial metrics such as} {energy requirements and cost|the energy requirement and cost|costs} {per watt|per watt}.