What is solar energy for

Solar energy is one that It comes from the solar rays. This star emits a electromagnetic radiation that comes to Earth in the form of light and heat. Each year our planet receives 180 billion kilowatts of power from the Sun, although a part is returned to space by the reflection produced by the atmosphere. This translates into a sunny day to the earth’s surface can reach 1 kilowatt per square meter.

The sun has been lighting 4,543,000,000 years and the scientific community considers that it will still do so for five hundred thousand more. Due to its inexhaustible character, it is currently one of the Renewable energy resources or most important inexhaustible natural resources in the world. Solar energy is a Sustainable alternative energy source and that has a lower environmental impact; It does not generate waste or emits toxic gases. However, it has the inconvenience that sunlight is intermittent and does not reach all areas of the planet equally.

For example, Spain, due to its geolocation and climate, has one of the largest solar radiation rates in Europe, a figure similar to that of Latin American countries. It is estimated that per square meter receives an amount of 1,500 kilowatts per hour during the year. Unfortunately, we are not among the countries that most base their energy production on solar energy. We are overcome countries like China, and in Europe, Germany leads in solar energy production.

Solar energy has numerous applications, both in the natural world interacting with all living beings, and in human economy. The sun gives us all living beings light, energy and heatbut humans take more benefit to our lifestyle. With this energy we get electricity, heat, transport and much more. Next, we describe the Most important uses of solar energy.

As we have said before, We use all living beings And these are the main uses that are given in nature to this source of energy:

Photosynthesis

Thanks to solar energy, plants, algae and cyanobacteria can perform photosynthesis. Photosynthesis, as we know, is the process by which these living beings obtain the organic matter and energy they need to live. Solar energy is captured by chlorophyll, a light -sensitive pigment found in plant cells, specifically in organelles called chloroplasts. In addition, for photosynthesis, water and carbon dioxide occur. Sunlight causes fotolysis, that is, the breakage of water molecules separating into hydrogen and oxygen. Oxygen is released to the atmosphere and hydrogen is used in other reactions that allow the body to obtain organic matter and energy. The importance of photosynthesis lies in providing us with the oxygen we need to live, decreases carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere (reducing the greenhouse effect) and especially transforms solar energy into energy available for the rest of living beings.

We recommend you learn more reading this other post about photosynthesis: what is, process and importance.

Vitamin D source

We have always heard that of “Put on the sun to take vitamin D”. Although the sun does not directly provide us with vitamin D, it is true that ultraviolet rays activate the enzymatic machinery of our skin cells to manufacture it. Vitamin D allows the body to set calcium that is so important for our bones, for the movement of the muscles, the transmission of the impetus of the nervous and helps the immune system to fight against pathogenic organisms. Thanks to the sun and its energy, it can help prevent diseases such as osteoporosis, rickets, fibriomalgia and depressions among others. Therefore, the sun provides us with another very important service, that of health.

Body temperature regulation

So that the metabolism of animals is adequate a certain temperature is needed. At the physiological level, animals can be classified into endoterms or ectotherms based on whether or not they are able to regulate their own body temperature. The body temperature of endoterms or formerly called hot blood animals, such as birds and mammals, depends on the chemical reactions that occur in your body. However, the temperature of the ectoterms or formerly called cold blood animals; Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates, depends on the medium in which they live. Solar energy is very important for them, because it depends on their metabolism and can move, hunt, flee from predators and seek refuge. They can obtain it directly from sunlight or by contact with surfaces previously heated by the sun.

Apart from the basics that provides all living beings, Solar energy serves us for the following in our daily lives:

Electricity

Solar energy becomes electricity thanks to photovoltaic panels. Foltovoltaic panels are composed of cells or photovoltaic cells. These cells are built with semiconductor materials, that is, materials capable of behaving as electricity conductors or as insulators. The most used semiconductors are silicon and Gallium arseniuro and combine with other elements such as phosphorus or boron to generate a difference in negative and positive loads and thus create electricity. Electricity is defined as the movement of electrons from the negative to positive pole. When the photons of the solar rays excite the electrons, they begin to move towards the positive loads and it is at that time when the electric current occurs.

You may be interested in learning more about what electricity is and examples reading this other article.

Heat and cold

Solar energy is also used to produce the heat we need in our homes, for example for heating or to heat food. For this, thermal solar panels are used. They consist of parabolic mirrors that concentrate the solar rays and direct them towards a specific point, normally a tank with water. Water is heated and flows to our homes where it can be used in the shower, to cook and even heating

This technology can also be used to generate cold air such as the one that comes out through air conditioning devices, this ecological alternative is known as “solar cold.” The same process is followed that before only a heat absorbent is added, the lithium bromide, which allows the air to become cold.

Means of transport

Thanks to solar energy we can achieve more sustainable and ecological transport. Although there are already electric vehicles, another step could be taken if that electricity they consume proceeds from clean and renewable energy. Installing photovoltaic solar panels, the necessary electrical energy would be achieved for cars, trams and even airplanes to move.

Artificial irrigation

Solar energy technology is also used for irrigation systems in gardens, farms and crops. There are solar water pumps that allow the extraction and transport of water mass thanks to the electricity produced by the photovoltaic solar panels that have connected. In addition, some of these pumps contain batteries that accumulate energy to continue working when there is no sunlight available.

Finally, you can see an educational video about solar energy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqa0-i5bqvu

If you want to read more articles similar to What is solar energy forwe recommend that you enter our category of renewable energy.