If we want solar power info we should start with our old friend Mr. Sun.
Due to the sun’s sheer size and complete awesomeness (yes, that is the scientific term), we end up with numbers and facts that boggle the mind.
Instead of letting these stats warp your brain, try to imagine the power we could potentially harness. It may still warp your brain, but in a good way.
Just take in some of these facts and figures and let them bounce around your head for a while. When they start to settle into place you might find that you are more excited than ever to put solar power to work for you.
You might start to think that it’s pretty ridiculous not to use solar energy when there is so much of it available.
In fact, not taking advantage of solar power might seem like dying of thirst when there is a giant lake of fresh water right beside you.
Now, onto the solar power facts:
- The sun’s nuclear reaction consumes 4.2 million tons of mass per second (and it will still last another 6 billion years).
- Only two billionths of the sun’s total energy output is intercepted by the Earth.
- If we put to work 1/35,000th of the sun’s energy reaching the earth we’d meet all of humanity’s energy needs!
Here are a couple more solar power facts for you:
- The amount of solar energy reaching the Earth in one year is twice as much as will ever be obtained from coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium combined.
- Solar energy is really nuclear energy. The bonus is that the nuclear reaction is taking place 93 million miles away on the surface of the sun.
So to repeat myself repetitively: The power of the sun is awe-inspiring and, in fact, almost all energy on earth can be traced back to the sun.
So when we use solar panels to create electricity from sunlight we’re just cutting out the middleman.
How so?
Well let’s take a very brief look at how we’re told fossil fuels are made:
- The sun fuels tiny plants and animals called plankton
- These plankton eventually die and fall to the bottom of the sea
- After millions of years heat and pressure turn them into oil and gas
- That oil and gas is used in power plants to create electricity
So instead of waiting for the sun’s energy to work its way through the lengthy process from plankton to the oil and gas that powers our homes we can go right to the source!
No drilling, no transporting, no burning.
This simplicity is part of what makes solar power so appealing.
As the price of solar panels continue to drop and their efficiency continues to rise, there is more potential than ever to harness the sun’s rays directly.
Now how’s that for some solar power info?