Where does solar energy come from?

Solar energy originates in the depths of our sun. The sun endures a continuous stream of themonuclear explosions as hydrogen atoms are fused into helium atoms. We encounter the resultant energy as radiation that strikes the surface of the earth. Solar panels convert this solar radiation into useful electrical energy and store them in batteries for our use. Enough solar radiation strikes the earth day to meet earth's energy needs for an entire year. Solar panels help us harvest this energy and convert it into usable energy to meet the everyday needs of modern life.

Renewable Solar Panels and Photovoltaic Cell

What does it mean for a resource or energy source to be renewable? What differentiates a renewable source of electricity, such as solar panels and solar cells which convert electricity from sunlight, from nuclear reactors, combustion engines, or coal power plants? This guide will explain the diffrentiate between reneable energy, such as that generated by solar panels, to other non-renewable sources of energy.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy us a term that refers to energy sources that are renewable in nature, meaning that more and more is continuously generated, and for all practical purposes, that are virtually limitless in supply. Energy from our sun is one such example. Technically, the sunlight will fade in about 5 billion years, but for all the practical purposes and human timescales, we will consider this a continuous and infinite resource. The sun isn't going to burn out any time soon.

Solar panels have arrays of solar cells with harvest sunlight and convert it into electricity.

Other renewable energy sources include wind and geothermal power. Wind power is generated by placing large windmills in windy areas, usually at high altitude to be maximally effective. Wind power, like solar power, is clean, but is also plagued by cost of setup and cost per kilowatt. Wind power may be unreliable un certain areas where the wind isn't strong year-round.

Geothermal energy, a form of energy generated from the tectonic pressures and movement that heat the earth's crust, is used to boil steam and generate electricity.

Non-Renewable Energy

Non-renewable energy is energy that us generated from non-renewable material reserves. These non-renewable resources are limited in supply, that is to say thta to be non-renewable a resources has to have a reasonably finite amount avaiable for economically feasible extraction. We usually consider a resources non-renewable if it will non regenerate rapidly enough to meet our needs. Oil and coal are examples of non-renewable if it will renewable energy. Like all other fossil fuels, these non-renewable energy sources are created deep within the Earth, and cannot be replaced rapidly enough to meet the needs of any advanced civilization. Effectively, once we run out. We'll see miniscule amounts of oil and coal deposits build uo, but it won't be for millions of years, weons of time, before our reserves are replaced. Non renewable sources of energy are used once, and afterwards are gone forever.