The Pros And Cons Of Solar Power
Unless you have a severe sun allergy that prohibits you from walking outside or being near a window during the day, you have felt the power of the sun. The warming rays ensure humanity's very existence. Since the beginning humans have needed the sun to grow food, provide warmth and light the way. It may just be another star in the sky but for Earth it is what gives us life. There is more to the sun than just allowing us to spend a day outside. It can be the solution to our energy problems. Solar power may be the future of the Earth in more ways than one and in this audio program we will discuss some of the most common questions and answers regarding the pros and cons of solar power. Who first used solar power? It is believed that the ancient Greeks utilized the sun when constructing their buildings. They realized that houses and buildings facing the sun would receive more warmth and light. Native Americans followed the same practice. The first industrial use of solar power was brought about thanks to Auguste Mouchoute in 1861 with his steam engine that was powered by the sun. His invention may not have been very popular with the coal industry but it was a start in the right direction for the use of solar power. Is solar power and solar energy the same thing? Actually even though people interchange both words, they are not the same thing. Solar energy is the "catch all" term that describes all the uses of solar rays. Solar power is the specific action of photovoltaic rays being captured and converted into electricity. Most people do not realize the difference and it is a very common misconception. Isn't it a bit expensive to make my house run on solar power? Unfortunately it is very expensive and not always feasible. In areas that receive high amounts of rainfall it is impossible to completely power a home from solar power. The amount of square inches of solar cells required may reach well over thirty feet if you were to try and power your entire house. Plus you would have to have converters, cells and storage for the days when the house did not receive enough sunlight. Researchers are working on making solar power more affordable. What happens if it is a cloudy day? Unless you have storage for your collected solar power, you will have to rely on other means to heat, cool or power your home. If the solar panels do not receive sunlight, the process of converting the thermal rays into electricity does not happen. If you do have storage, the power will be pulled from there. What is the Kyoto Protocol? The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement between nations that is aimed at reducing the consumption of fossil fuels and reducing the amount of greenhouse gases. Current theories state that the "Greenhouse Effect" is a dire predicament Earth is facing as rising temperatures occur all over the Earth. This rise in temperature will allegedly cause climactic changes and the extinction of many species.
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