February 6th, 2012 
Tushar Mathur For generations, fossil fuels have generated the electricity required which enables us to turn on the TV, press play on the stereo, pull a cold beer from the fridge, jump in the shower, surf the internet, and do a hundred and other one things we take for granted in a world governed by convenience and technology.
However, the traditional sources which have supplied the energy we consume daily at an alarming rate are dying out and something more environmentally friendly and cost-effective is slowly but surely taking its place – solar power.
Solar energy can be generated by both the heat and light of the sun and its possibilities are endless. It is no secret that solar power it is fast becoming the world’s leading source of renewable energy but there’s a lot of other interesting and fun facts about solar power that people have been kept in the dark about. Let’s take a peek at a few of them.
What Can Solar Energy be Used For?
Through the production of both electricity and heat, solar power can power all your household appliances, run cars, heat water, dry clothes, and even cook your food. In fact, anything fossil fuels can do, solar energy can do better, and what’s more it is much better for the environment and won’t cost you the earth. Did you know that the worldwide demand for solar energy is currently outstripping the supply? Now that’s a fact.
What are Home Solar Systems Made of?
An inverter, a battery, a charge controller, wiring and support structure, and of course solar panels are the key components to solar systems for the home. A one kilowatt home solar system will require about 10 to 12 solar panels (consisting of 40 solar cells apiece) installed on about 100 square feet of roofing area.
In a sunny climate, a one kilowatt home solar system will generate approximately 1,600 kilowatt hours per year. In a cloudy climate this drops to 750 kilowatt hours per year.
Your one killowatt home solar system will be a true friend to the environment because during the course of one month, not only will it save 170 lbs. of coal from going up in smoke, it will also keep the atmosphere free of 300lbs of extra CO2 and prevent 105 gallons of water from being consumed.
What Happens When the Sun Don’t Shine
It is a common misapprehension that solar power only works when the sun is shining. It doesn’t. A Solar energy system can provide energy around the clock because it can be collected and stored in batteries, reflected, insulated, absorbed and transmitted.
The Power of the Sun
Sunlight is fast. How fast? Well put it this way, it travels to the earth at 186,282 miles per second, and that, as we’re sure you’ll agree, is fast. In fact, enough sunlight falls on the earth’s surface every hour to keep the world in energy for an entire year.
Did you know that fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and petroleum all started out as plants and animals whose energy came from, you guessed it, the sun. So in theory, solar energy is nothing new, it’s just being presented to us in a different form.
Strange Facts About Solar Power
• In 1447 Leonardo Da Vinci not only designed the first helicopter, he also predicted solar industrialization.
• In 1990 an aircraft powered solely by solar energy flew 4060km across the USA and set a new world record.
• Out of all our household appliances, the electrical oven uses the most electricity?
• The abundance of sunlight and shortage of electricity in third-world countries represents a huge marker for growth in the solar sector.
• In 1921, Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize for his experiments with solar power and photovoltaics.
• Shell Oil has predicted that by 2040, renewable sources will account for 50% of the world’s energy.
What are you waiting for? Make the switch and join the solar revolution today!
Solar Contact provide detailed information about solar energy technologies. For advice on solar panels and finding a reliable supplier and installer, visit their site today.
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