Solar
power is not simply used to power human homes and businesses: Solar
power is used to power the earth. In fact, solar power has been the
main source of energy for the earth since time began.
Without solar power, there would be no photosynthesis, no rain, no
wind, and no current. Today, people are coming up with many ways to
harness the power of the sun. Improving the designs of solar cells to
more efficiently transform solar energy into electricity is an example
of this.
Of course, solar power is the source of many other forms of renewable
energy as well:
• Wind Power – Wind turbines are becoming a popular source
for alternative energy. Yet solar power actually plays a large part
in creating wind power. When the energy of the sun acts upon the oceans
and on the atmosphere, winds are produced. These are the winds that
make ships sail and windmills turn.
• Hydroelectric power – Without the sun, it would not be
possible to have hydroelectric power either. The water of the earth
is a continuous cycle. The sun evaporates water from the oceans, and
it later falls as rain. The rain then returns to the oceans by streams,
rivers, or seeping into the ground. Modern turbines use these waters
to create electricity.
• Biofuel – The sun is extremely important in the process
of photosynthesis. All plants rely on the sun. They convert solar energy
into chemical energy. So, in the creation of biofuels (such as ethanol
or wood for burning,) energy from the sun remains a key source.
• Geothermal power- This power is extracted from heat stored
in the earth. Geothermal energy originates from the formation of the
planet; radioactive decay of minerals and solar energy which is absorbed
at the surface and is contained in underground reservoirs of steam,
hot water, and hot dry rocks. Geothermal energy processes work in many
different ways, which allows you to harness different amounts of energy
for different locations and needs. It is used for heating and generating
electricity.
These are just a few of the lesser known ways in which solar power
is used. In a sense, solar power has been used for centuries, at least
indirectly. Without the sun, we would not even have such things as natural
gas or coal.