We all know that solar energy provides clean renewable energy that is environmentally friendly and allows for greater economic independence from fossil fuels, but here we have a few interesting facts you may not have known about the fastest growing energy source in the world.
- 1) The Earth is bombarded with enough solar energy every year that we would need to increase our energy usage by 8,000 times in order to use all of it.
- 2) Capturing all that solar energy would be impossible and unnecessary. The map below indicates how much territory we’d actually have to cover in order to capture enough energy to meet global energy demands. The sum of the tiny squares is all we would need.
- 3) Solar cells are being used to power aircrafts. This particular plane (the Helio Prototype) is an unmanned aircraft designed for high altitude flights. It was engineered by NASA.
- 4) NASA also uses solar cells to power satellites. The Vanguard 1 — the first artificial earth satellite powered by solar cells — remains the oldest man-made satellite in orbit – logging more than 6 billion miles.
- 5) Solar energy is being recognized as the future of alternative energy sources as it is non polluting and helps combat the Greenhouse effect on global climate created by use of fossils fuels. Solar manufacturing and efficiency advancements are being made at records rates, which undoubtedly makes solar the future of our energy needs.
Want to know more about how solar works, and what you can do to power your home? Call us today! (916) 853-2700
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