Solar Energy Tech: Harnessing the Sun's Power - Research Paper

Introduction

Solar energy technology uses the sun's energy to produce light and heat. They are a variety of solar energy technology. The main ones are; photovoltaic (PV), which is utilized in panels and concentrating solar power (CSP), which is used primarily in very large plants and suitable for residential use ("Solar Energy Technology Basics," 2020). How does it work? When sun shines onto a solar panel, photons from the sunlight hit a solar cell thus knocking the electrons loose from their atoms, if conductors are attached to the positive and negative sides of the cell, and electronic circuit is created, it causes the electricity to flow("Solar Energy Technology Basics," 2020). What does it do? It uses mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect solar energy and convert it to heat, which can then be used to generate electricity.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Part 2, What is the problem that the technology addresses? Energy performance and environmental effects.

Part 3, What is the current state of business and/or consumer adoption of the technology?

The adoption of solar power is one of the greatest investments in the world. The cost of developing solar technology is considered much lower as compared to other alternative sources such as coal, natural gas, and hydro. Besides, it is efficient, non-polluting, and supports a cleaner future for the whole society ("The Current State of Solar Power Adoption in the UK," 2019).

Part 4, What are some of the challenges and barriers to the adoption of the technology, and how might those challenges be addressed? Various barriers to its adoption hamper solar energy technology. Sociotechnical barriers, Policy barriers, management barriers, and economic barriers are among the barriers that prevent solar energy technology from being more readily adopted. (Karakaya & Sriwannawit, 2015). Sociotechnical barriers, this is associated with a lack of satisfactory knowledge among both adopters and non-adopters. This becomes a challenge as it prevents potential customers from deciding to adopt the system. The insight of the adopters has a fundamental impact on their decision whether to adopt the technology or not. It is, therefore, vital that effort is placed on creating awareness-policy barriers. PV systems are usually not profitable when policy support is insufficient and ineffective. Policy measures are fundamental for speedy diffusion of friendly solar innovations. Therefore, for wider adoption of the technology, there is a need for collaboration and participation in energy policy development, and the Government should commit to supporting the policy to make it effective and sufficient to the adopters. Economic barrier This relates to the high total costs of the solar system, for instance, the PV modules and upfront expense on transportation and installation. When the cost of other energy sources is low, the potential adopters may choose them over the expensive PV modules. To address high total cost, costs over the existence of energy projects should be taken into account. When the costs are taken into account and planned for, solar energy can be the least expensive energy generating source. Management barrier This includes inappropriate company business portfolio for the target market and ineffective marketing approaches and education campaigns. Targeting the right customer group, creating awareness in regards to solar energy technology and investment, and the creation of effective and business strategies are some of the ways to address this issue.

Part 5, What are the social benefit and risks associated with the technology? Solar is a revolutionary energy solution. However, it has various benefits and risks associated with it that one needs to keep in mind. Some of the benefits of solar energy technology include: It is a sustainable option to fossils fuels. This is based on the fact that solar energy is a renewable source of energy than fossil fuels. Fossil fuels have an expiration date that may be fast approaching while solar energy, the sun is likely to shine across the world for at least a few billions of years; It is environmentally friendly. Even as there are some emissions, for instance, greenhouse gas emission associated with the production and installation of solar energy equipment, these emissions are inconsequential compared to generating electricity from fossil fuel, and it promotes greater energy independence. As the sun shines across the world, each country becomes a potential energy producer. Besides, individuals can install solar panels at their homes, and thus the power being provided does not depend on being connected to a larger electrical grid. (Johnston, 2019).

Apart from being beneficial, solar energy technology is also risky. One of the biggest risks is that energy is only produced when the sun is shining. And therefore, this is risky because during the night and overcast days. The supply is interrupted as theirs is no sun shining at night.

Another risk associated with solar energy technology is that it requires a significant amount of land. For instance, a larger utility-scale PV system may require up to 3.5 to 10 acres per megawatt and CSP facility from 4 to 16.5 acres per megawatt. This is risky because it causes land degradation or habitat loss for wildlife (Johnston, 2019). It may also cause a scarcity of materials. Certain solar technologies require expensive and rare materials in their production. This, however, is mainly a problem for PV technology rather than CSP technology. Also, solar energy can be associated with pollution; however, as stated earlier, pollution related to Solar energy systems is far less compared to other alternative sources of energy, for instance, the fossil fuels. This pollution is a result of the emission of greenhouse gases during the transportation and installation of the solar system. Solar energy also contains some toxic materials and hazardous products which are not environmentally friendly ("Advantages & Disadvantages of Solar Energy 2020).

References

Advantages & Disadvantages of Solar Energy (2020) | GreenMatch. (2018). Retrieved 22 February 2020, from https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2014/08/5-advantages-and-5-disadvantages-of-solar-energy

Johnston, M. (2019). Solar Energy: Benefits and Drawbacks. Retrieved 22 February 2020, from https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/053015/pros-and-cons-solar-energy.asp

Karakaya, E. & Sriwannawit, P. (2015). Barriers to the adoption of photovoltaic systems: The state of the art. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 49, 60-66. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2015.04

Solar Energy Technology Basics. (2020). Retrieved 21 February 2020, from https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/articles/solar-energy-technology-basics

The Current State of Solar Power Adoption in the UK. (2019). Retrieved 22 February 2020, from https://www.technology.org/2019/01/17/the-current-state-of-solar-power-adoption-in-the-uk/