Solar-Powered Inventions

From ancient times, civilizations have been very fascinated by the sun and its powers. People back then even embodied it and believed it was their God or Goddess. For centuries, people have worshipped it and relied on it. Farmers were wholly dependent on the sun’s rays for the growth of their crops to sustain the population.

The sun’s power is indeed unbeatable and recently we have established the ability to harness it. Science has now proved that the amount of energy the earth obtains from the sun in just one hour is enough to fulfill the energy needs of the whole world for a year. Consumers, policymakers, and inventors are making full use of solar energy and this is the reason why we have so many solar-powered inventions now. Before knowing about solar-powered inventions, we must first discuss what is solar power and its farm how does a solar farm function?

WHAT ARE SOLAR POWER AND SOLAR FARM – Solar power is such a form of energy that is acquired from the heat and power that are exposed from the rays of the sun. Solar power is also referred to as a renewable or green source of energy. The conversion of sunlight into electricity is performed in three ways i.e. either directly or by using photovoltaic (PV) cells or a combination of both. PV cells are mirror-like panels that operate as conductors that take the sun’s rays, heat them, create electricity, and send it to the power grid for distribution and consumption purposes.

The large-scale solar installations of photovoltaic panels or concentrated solar systems to harvest the sun’s power are called solar farms. Such farms are usually installed using solar panels on lands of unused plots. A single solar panel installed on one’s rooftop is more than enough to meet one’s energy needs. In contrast, solar farms are built for generating and supplying energy to a vast range of buildings.

TYPES OF SOLAR FARM –Solar farms often referred to as solar parks or solar power stations are of two types utility-scale and community-scale solar farms. Below are some points that would better understand both types of solar farms.

·         Range – The utility-scale farms are much larger than the community ones. The capacity of utility farms ranges from 1 MegaWatt (MW) to 2 Gigawatt (GW) whereas that of community solar farms ranges from 100 kilowatts (KW) to 5 megawatts (MW).

·         End users – Community solar farms provide a share or part of its power directly from the farm to its subscribers or the end users of the electricity generated who have paid for it. On the other hand, the utility solar farms are responsible for serving a utility company that then further provides electricity to its customers via miles of high-voltage power lines.

·         Amount of energy – The consumers acquire a different amount of energy according to their needs which is monitored via a technology named virtual net metering. This assists the retailer of the community farm to provide a bill credit depending on the amount of energy your home acquires. The probability of getting dark when a power grid of a community farm gets down is very less as compared to the utility one which travels many kilometers before reaching its consumers.

HOW DOES A SOLAR POWER FARM WORK – It is very well known by all that the sun radiates its energy to all parts of the earth. The only difference is the amount received which is dependent on various factors such as time, season, location, etc. For this purpose solar farms are built but how does a solar farm function and can catch the sun’s energy?

Well, the solar panel’s cells are formed by computer chip-like substances that are semiconductors. When photons from sunlight hit these cells they activate the electrons from atoms thus generating direct current (DC). The solar panel then converts it into alternate current (AC) thus ready for use by consumers. A solar farm includes the following equipment

·         Inverters – It is the most fragile and important equipment of a solar farm that performs the most complicated process. It works non-stop and converts DC into AC electricity which is responsible for powering all home supplies.

·         Photovoltaic panels (PV) – The sunlight stimulates the surface of PV panels and produces DC electricity via the electrons that are built into them.

·         Solar racking – This particular part attaches the solar panel and the roof to each other. You should always prefer high-quality racking because it is located on the rooftop and is constantly affected by the weather.

·         Battery unit – The batteries are used to store the energy that could be used at nighttime when the system could not produce it. The battery type and unit depend on various factors such as lifespan, storage capacity, and material used in making.

According to research, there is enough solar power to enlighten around 15.7 million homes. But people planning to acquire solar power might question why do solar power systems cost so much. It is because of the production cost of the equipment which requires expensive raw materials that are silicon for panels and high-grade lithium for solar batteries. The soft costs are also high which include professional and safe installations in compliance with warranties and local codes.

All of these installation and maintenance costs range from $15,000 to $25,000 but many benefits could be availed such as reduced monthly bills, free and renewable energy sources, and low maintenance costs which makes it preferable for many of us.