7 Interesting Facts About Solar Thermal Energy

Whenever you hear about solar thermal energy, you generally associate it with mundane data available over the internet on solar panels, solar kits, guides, components, etc. It might have also happened that you had to submit a science project on solar power during your school times and you have that memory refreshed every time you come across anything related to solar thermal energy. Therefore, you will attach certain seriousness to solar thermal energy as if it is all about scientific work.

As mentioned earlier, this is simply because you are unaware of the fun and interesting facts about this clean renewable source of energy. Getting light and heat energy from the sun and converting it into different other forms of energy for our daily use, is an exciting prospect. If you understand it well, you will be keen on trying out new and innovative gadgets that are solar powered.

When I came to know about these seven fun and interesting facts about solar thermal energy, I was amazed, so will you be. Thus, read the facts and enjoy!

1)      The amount of sunlight that hits the earth surface over a period of an hour is enough to fulfill the entire world’s demand for energy over one whole year! Therefore, if we can utilize the solar thermal energy properly we will have abundant energy in one day to survive for 24 years!

2)      Sir Albert Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in the year 1921 for his revolutionary work on the solar photovoltaic cells and the solar thermal energy.

3)      Many European farmers used to utilize solar thermal energy in their fields to solar power them. This is not a recent innovation. It used to happen as early as the middle ages. Yes, even then, people knew how to use the immense power provided by the Sun.

4)      The total power of the solar radiations gets reduced by at least 23-25% by the time it reaches us. Once the sunrays hit the earth surface, they are reflected and absorbed. After this phenomenon, the light and heat of the solar radiations is further diminished by the pollution, dust and clouds that are prevalent in the air. Therefore, finally what reaches us is 3/4^th of the actual solar energy potential.

5)      The solar panels that are installed everywhere, on an average, converts a minimal of 15% of the sunlight to electricity. The balance is wasted.

6)      Architects are taught how to use the solar thermal energy to the optimum level while planning a building. They can design the structure and make the windows in such a manner that sunlight can be a major source of heat and light for the building!

7)      Plants use the solar power to make food for their survival through a process called photosynthesis.

Surely, after reading this you do not find solar energy mundane anymore!