Solar energy is simply the light and heat given off by the sun. most people actually want to know how we get power from solar energy. In other words, they really just want to know how we turn the sun’s heat and light energy into a usable power source. Both methods use solar panels to collect the solar energy but one process focuses on the sun’s heat and one process focuses on the sun’s light. The first process is called solar thermal which the energy works by harnessing the sun’s heat. The second process is the photovoltaic process Photovoltaic (PV) panels capture the light emitted by the sun and convert this energy into usable electricity. They do this by exciting the electrons in the solar energy which produces direct current (DC) electricity. DC electricity isn’t usable for most home needs. The DC electricity must go through a conversion process in a mechanical device known as an inverter.
There many advantages of solar energy. The first one is Saving you money . After the initial investment has been recovered, the energy from the sun is practically FREE. It will save you money on your electricity bill if you have one at all. Solar energy does not require any fuel. The second one is Environmentally friendly. Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and coal) and sustainable, helping to protect our environment. It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional forms of electrical generations does. Solar Energy does not contribute to global warming, acid rain. The final one is Low/ no maintenance. They operate silently, have no moving parts, do not release offensive smells and do not require you to add any fuel. More solar panels can easily be added.
While there are many advantages there are some disadvantages of the Solar Energy. The main disadvantage is The initial cost is of installing a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of the semi-conducting materials used in building one but we have to sacrifice for our environment to be clean also the price of the Solar is decreasing year after year. Also it does not require any fuel. The second disadvantage is Solar panels require quite a large area for installation to achieve a good level of efficiency. The final disadvantage is no solar energy will be produced during nighttime but the solution for that problem is there is batteries that store the energy.