Top 10 Things You Might Not Know About Solar Energy   

Solar energy has undergone decades of research and political controversy, but it is now fully ready to stand on its own. Solar power systems are undercutting fossil fuels on price without subsidies, and with each victory, the future appears more promising. 

However, there are some “surprises” about solar energy that most people don’t know. Let’s take a look.

Interesting Facts About Solar Energy 

Here are the top 10 most astonishing things to know about solar energy. 

1. Solar Technologies Are Becoming More Efficient

The global market of solar power has grown at a rate of over 40% annually for the previous eight years. This technology has seen great advancements in automation, manufacturing, and, and outputs. The majority of panels on the market today are 15% to 20% efficient, which means they can turn 15% to 20% of the solar energy they collect into electricity.

You can see that the panel efficiency has constantly increased over the past decade, which is promising and helps to keep costs down. Additionally, solar products are made to endure severe weather conditions, extending their usual lifespan to about 30 years with little to no efficiency loss.

2. Solar Is the Quickest Source to Deploy 

Solar energy is one of the quickest energy sources to deploy in case of a disaster. For example, Puerto Rico has tiny solar power plants with energy storage capabilities that were quickly constructed by Tesla (TSLA -4.09%) and others after the last hurricane. It wouldn’t have been possible to install any other renewable energy source in such a short period of time.

3. Solar Energy is 100% Safe and Renewable

Solar power is entirely renewable. Over the course of its existence, the sun has used roughly half of the hydrogen in its core. We still have plenty of time to capture the sun’s energy because scientists predict that it will live and continue to shine for an additional 5 billion years.

As opposed to nuclear or fossil fuel energy, the energy generated by the sun and transformed by a solar energy system is completely clean. It emits no toxic waste byproducts. Homes equipped with solar energy systems have the capacity to become completely self-sufficient. This can be very helpful in protecting homes and businesses from blackouts in addition to lowering energy expenditures.

Solar systems like microinverters or EV chargers can help reduce the cost of electric bills while producing energy-efficient electricity.

4. The Space Industry Is an Early Adopter of Solar Energy 

The space industry was among the first sectors to adopt the applications of solar energy. It started employing solar technologies to power spacecraft in the 1950s. The Vanguard 1 is still the oldest man-made satellite, which is powered by solar cells. 

5. Nearly 200 Years Have Passed since the Discovery of Solar Energy

Alexandre Edmond Becquerel found the “photovoltaic effect” of energy production from direct sunlight in 1839. Even though solar power has become popular more recently, it has been around for over 200 years. People started taking solar energy more seriously in 1941 when transistors and solar cell were developed by Russell Ohl.

In today’s world, you can see solar panels installed in everything from small calculators to large buildings. They provide safe, renewable electricity to even the most remote indigenous tribes.

6. A Solar Life Cycle Produces Very Little Greenhouse Gas Emissions

While the process of producing solar energy doesn’t release any greenhouse gases, other phases of the life cycle do, but in small amounts. This includes producing the polycrystalline, monocrystalline, or thin-film silicon used to make solar cells and panels, as well as their transportation, installation, upkeep, decommissioning, and dismantling. 

The majority of estimates for photovoltaic solar cell systems’ life-cycle emissions range from 0.07 to 0.18 pounds of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour.

7. Solar Panels Can Optimize Energy Employment Based on the Angle of Sun

Microinverters are excellent devices for Solar PV intricate setups with panels facing various directions. Using microinverters on each panel will enable them to operate to their full potential when sunlight strikes them because they won’t be hindered by any production issues other panels in the system could encounter. This is especially useful if you have certain panels facing east and others facing south.

8. There’s Probably a Solar Plant Near You Right Now!

Solar plants have become so common that you might be standing near one right now! The world is changing its power source to solar energy. You can find a solar panel on top of almost every house and big-box store.

9. China Has the World’s Fastest-growing Solar Power Potential.

In 2021, China added a new renewable energy capacity, and it is predicted that in 2026, it would have 1,200 GW of wind and solar power installed. China is also expected to have the greatest installed residential solar capacity by 2024. This expanding pattern helps China fulfill its promise to reach a carbon peak by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Unfortunately, because of the current energy crisis, the country has also been using more coal at the same time.

10. Researchers Are Looking into the Possibility of Constructing Solar Power Stations in Space

The last solar energy information on our list is the futuristic yet highly probable potential of constructing solar power plants in space. The European Space Agency (ESA) started a campaign in 2020 to gather new, creative concepts for technology that would make space-based solar power more practical and boost the production of renewable energy. The agency is now looking to support some of these initiatives.

Solar panels in orbit would be continuously exposed to stronger sunlight than those on Earth, which only gather light that has been absorbed and processed by the atmosphere before reaching the ground. This would make it possible for an SSP station to produce a significant amount of electricity continuously. 

Conclusion

Solar energy is being employed in every part of every industry because it is renewable and a clean source of electricity. You can install solar power plants anywhere, whether it is for residential or commercial applications. Since the sun gives off a free source of energy, you can use it to produce cost-effective electricity.

If you want to take advantage of solar energy in your sector, you must contact Beny for the best solar products on the market. They have an experience of over 30 years in the electrical industry, which gives them a competitive edge in the market.