Your Questions About Renewable Energy Definition

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Solar energy is energy from the Sun in the form of heat and light. This energy drives the climate and weather and supports virtually all life on Earth. Heat and light from the Sun, along with secondary solar resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for over 99.9% of the available flow of renewable energy on Earth.

Solar energy technologies harness the sun’s heat and light for practical ends such as heating, lighting and electricity. These technologies date from the time of the early Greeks, Native Americans and Chinese, who warmed their buildings by orienting them toward the sun.

Solar power is used synonymously with solar energy or more specifically to refer to the conversion of sunlight into electricity. This can be done with photovoltaics, concentrating solar thermal devices and various experimental technologies.

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Solar power usually refers to making electricity from the sun. Solar energy may refer to this and also sometimes using the heat energy from the sun. Thermal solar collectors may use solar energy to make solar power.

Solar energy is only beginning to be explored in our society. In other societies (ancient Greece for example) there were laws to prevent one person from blocking the sun from the land of another as the sun was important for heating. The sun’s energy stored in chemical bonds has been very common in our society. Oil is king. This has marginalized direct solar energy use. The amount of Solar energy in our society depends upon what you are including. Direct Solar? Wind? Biomass? Hydro generation? Here is one site that adds it up to 13%: http://evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=21381″>

2 the economics of solar is also subject to definitions. Real cost or cost including politically gained subsidies. Gasoline may cost $3.00 at the pump but estimates of its real cost are from $10 to more than $20. Nuclear power is also heavily subsidized. Solar is just getting into the game and is taking time to get its political markers in place. When it comes to efficiency solar is far more direct and has some distinct advantages. Http://www.catalystmagazine.com/component/content/article/45/1128-pay-at-the-pump-uncovering-the-true-cost-of-gasoline http://evworld.com/article.cfm?storyid=1715&first=2490&end=2489 http://www.ringnebula.com/project-censored/1976-1992/1988/1988-story11.htm http://environment.about.com/od/renewableenergy/a/solar_power.htm

3. Direct Solar energy and renewable solar energy is substantially more eco friendly than using fossil solar energy. Shading environments with solar collectors changes environments this may have effects to be considered. Some large scale solar power installations need water in environments where this is scarce. Wind generators may have an adverse effect on flying wildlife. And hydroelectric dam may add unusual pressure on the Earth’s crust. Http://solareis.anl.gov/guide/environment/index.cfm http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/us/27solar.html