Potential of Solar Energy

Potential of Solar Energy

• The solar power at places where sun hits the atmosphere is 10¹⁷ watts, whereas the solar power on earth’s surface is 10¹⁶ watts.
• When we compare it with the total world – wide power demand of all needs of aviation, which is nearly 10¹² watts, i.e. sun gives 1000 times more power than world’s requirement. If we can use 5% of this energy, it will be 50 times what the world will require.
• The energy radiated by the sun on a bright sunny day is approximately 1 kW/m². Attempts have been made to make use of this energy in raising temperature of water to form steam, which may further be used in driving the prime movers connected to the generators, for generating electrical energy.
• This requires a large space to make use of this energy and uncertainty of availability at constant rate, due to clouds, winds haze etc., these factors cause limited application of this source.
• Now-a-days the drawback, that energy cannot be stored and it is a dilute form of energy, are outdated, because now the energy can be stored by producing hydrogen or by storing in other mechanical or electrical devices or it can be stored in containers of chemicals called eutectic or phase changing salts.
• These salts which store large quantities of heat in a relatively small volume, melt when they are heated and release heat later as they cool and crystallize.
• The energy can be concentrated in the region of 5000°C. These facts are in favour of solar energy, as the world reserves of coal, oil and gas will be exhausted within few decades. Nuclear energy involves considerable hazards and nuclear fusion has not yet overcome all the problems of fundamental research etc. compared with these technologies.
• The utilization of solar energy can prove very useful. In case of India, it is of great importance. Since it lies in a temperature climate of the region of world where sun shines is abundant for a major part of the year.
• Basic research on solar energy are being carried out in different universities of India, educational and research Institutes, public sector Institutes, BHEL and CEL (Central Electronic Limited) are carrying out co ordinated programme of research in solar energy.