Solar Power and Wind Power

Solar Power and Wind Power

Solar power is a renewable source of electricity that is derived from the sun. It is harnessing energy from the sun and making it usable. One way of doing this is using solar panels which are made up of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into electricity. Photovoltaic cells are made up of semiconductor materials and when the sunlight hits them, the electrons in their atoms become loose. The loose electrons start flowing through the cells and the movement generates electricity. Solar panels can be used in large scale and small scale. Many homes that use solar energy have solar panel fixed on the rooftops so that they can get maximum sunlight. Solar panels can be used in large-scale production which is done by using many solar panels.  Another way of using the sun energy to generate electricity is using solar thermal power plants in large scale production. Solar thermal power plants use concave mirrors which turn energy from the sun to a concentrated heat source. The concentrated heat is used to heat water and the steam generated is used to drive steam turbines that generate electricity in large quantities.

Wind power is another renewable source of electricity. It is the use of wind to propel wind turbines which in turn produces mechanical energy. The turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind to mechanical energy and a generator can convert it into electricity. Wind turbines are used in large-scale production where many turbines are grouped together to make a wind farm. Wind farms generate bulk electricity which can be distributed to customers just like in other large-scale power plants. A major challenge that comes with wind power is that wind cannot be stored and it is not always available. Furthermore, good sites for wind farms are located in remote areas which are far from the places with high electricity demands and this makes the cost of transport high.