Do you know how to take advantage of solar energy?
At present, take advantage of solar energy Thanks to technological advances, it is the smartest way to use clean and renewable energywhich in addition to being the best for caring for the environment helps us to save. For these reasons, solar energy is one of the clean energies the most used in our country.
Solar energy is that generated by the sun and therefore is inexhaustible being a source of energy renewable and clean. It is the best alternative to other types of non-renewable energy such as fossil energy or nuclear energy.
Solar energy is generated by the fusion reactions that take place in the sun. The radiation travels to Earth through electromagnetic waves and later we can tap into it for use and even storage.
Once it reaches the earth\’s surface, solar energy needs a photovoltaic installation to be converted into electricity. This facility captures radiation through photovoltaic cells found in solar panels and converts it into electrical current.
How to harness solar energy
CAN take advantage of solar energy in different waysgiving as a result three types of energy depending on its origin, processing and use:
- Solar thermal energy. Use the sun\’s energy to produce heat, later transforming this heat into mechanical energy and from this into electricity. They are the installations consisting of collectors or solar collectors that are placed on the roof of houses and buildings and that capture solar radiation, turning it into heat. This type of solar energy is less in terms of use and production than photovoltaic energy, but much progress has been made in recent years and represents an improvement in energy efficiency. And it is valid both for use in homes, buildings or industries.
- Photovoltaic solar energy. Get electricity directly from solar radiation through installation photovoltaic solar panels with silicon cells that convert light and heat from the sun into electricity. Solar panels can be used both domestically and in large installations that supply a large mass of population.
- Passive solar energy. It doesn\’t use any mechanism that collects and processes it, but rather it can be used thanks to bioclimatic architecture. This type of architecture consists of buildings that, through the use of different materials and orientations, use the solar energy captured during the day to keep their interior warm at night, achieving a perfect air conditioning every moment.
Use of photovoltaic solar energy
The Photovoltaic solar energy directly converts the radiation transmitted by the sun into electrical energy. This is done by taking advantage of the properties of the materials from which a solar panel is made by means of the photovoltaic cells it contains.
Most photovoltaic panels are made of silicon. When sunlight falls on one of the faces of the solar cell, it is able to generate electricity.
The The main form of use of photovoltaic solar energy installations is the production of electricity from solar radiation. This type of application can be generated on a large or small scale for residential and self-consumption. In this way, basically We can differentiate two types of photovoltaic installations according to the way in which solar energy is used:
- Self consumption. All are individual installations in homes, but are also an option for self-consumption in companies.
- Solar farms. Extensive facilities for large-scale production and marketing of the energy obtained.
An advantage of self-consumption is that the generated energy is consumed at or near the same point where it is generated. This means improved energy efficiency and cost savings, as no energy transport is required.
Factors that improve the utilization of a photovoltaic installation
is a great diversity of factors that directly influence the use of solar panels, and which are directly related to achieving your maximum potential:
- The materials of the photovoltaic installation. The energy produced by solar panels largely depends on the materials from which they are made, both they and the rest of the installation\’s components. An installation is more efficient the higher its quality, thus increasing the use of solar energy.
- Temperature and climate. The use of solar energy is affected by the temperature and climate of the geographical area where the photovoltaic installation is located. The the temperatures Very high temperatures reduce the performance of solar panels, with 25ºC being the ideal temperature for solar panels to achieve maximum performance. Regarding climate strong wind is not a good ally for solar panels, as their flattened shape makes them more vulnerable to its action. Cloudy days reduce its performance. Snow reflects sunlight and improves the performance of the boards.
- Solar radiation and geographic location. Each geographic area of the country receives a different amount of solar radiation, which directly influences energy use. Solar radiation is directly related to the slope, shadows and climate of each area.
- Orientation and tilt. The most optimal orientation of the solar panels is to the south because the perpendicular rays that are reflected on its surface increase the use of the photovoltaic installation.
The inclination It also influences the performance of solar photovoltaic panels, which must vary according to the area of the country where we are.
- seasonality. Use of solar energy in in the summer it is much higher because the solar panels receive a greater amount of sunlight and therefore generate more energy. But in winter, these facilities are also profitable, because the solar panels capture sunlight regardless of the heat received, although this profitability is reduced by the lower number of hours of sunshine per day.
- Shadows. They greatly affect the use of solar energy. Shades on solar panels should be avoided as power can suffer a reduction of up to 30%.
Therefore, it is very important consider all these factors that will make it possible to make the most of the energy from the sunobtaining the maximum performance from our installation and generating the greatest possible electrical energy.
