What is Solar Energy
Solar Energy refers to the radiation energy from the sun,which is essentially the fusion reaction of hydrogen atomic nuclei inside the sun under ultra-high temperature and high pressure conditions, transforming hydrogen into helium,during this process,enormous energy is continuously released and continues to radiate into space,solar energy is a renewable and clean energy source.
1.The utilization
Photothermal utilization: Collecting the heat of solar radiation through various collectors and converting it into thermal energy for utilization,for example,common solar water heaters use collectors to absorb sunlight and heat water for household use;there is also a solar heating system that provides warmth to buildings.
Photochemical utilization: The use of sunlight for chemical reactions to obtain the required substances or energy,a typical example is the photolysis of water to produce hydrogen,under the action of photocatalysts,water is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen using solar energy,hydrogen is a clean energy source and is expected to become an important energy carrier in the future.
Optoelectronic utilization: Based on the photovoltaic effect,solar cells are used to directly convert sunlight into electrical energy,solar cells are widely used in various fields,from small solar calculators and solar street lights to large solar power plants,solar power plants are divided into off grid power generation systems and grid connected power generation systems,Off grid power generation systems are mainly composed of solar cell modules,controllers,and batteries,to supply power to AC loads, AC inverters are also required,they are commonly used in remote areas or scenarios that require high power independence.
The grid connected power generation system converts the direct current generated by solar modules into alternating current that meets the requirements of the municipal power grid through a grid connected inverter,and directly connects it to the public power grid,it is currently the mainstream of grid connected power generation,among them,decentralized small-scale grid connected power generation systems, especially photovoltaic building integrated power generation systems,have developed rapidly due to their advantages of small investment,fast construction,small footprint, and strong policy support.
2.The advantages
Universality: The sun shines on the earth, and solar energy can be obtained from land, sea, mountains,and islands,which can be directly developed and utilized,it is easy to collect and does not require mining or transportation.
Harmlessness: Solar energy is a clean energy source that does not produce pollution during development and utilization,and is environmentally friendly,in the current era of increasingly severe environmental pollution,this characteristic is particularly valuable.
Magnitude: The total amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface each year is enormous,equivalent to approximately 130 trillion tons of coal,making it the largest exploitable energy source in the world.
Longevity: Based on the rate at which the sun generates nuclear energy,the storage of hydrogen is sufficient to sustain for billions of years,while the lifespan of the Earth is approximately several billion years. From this perspective,solar energy is almost inexhaustible.