Evan Kimel 4/1/14 EGEE 101H Solar Energy Energy is all around us.

The very air we breathe doubles as a source of wind energy. The ground upon which we walk has sources of energy buried deep below. Our very bodies are capable of generating their own form of energy. But perhaps the greatest form of practically unharnessed power comes from one, giant, glowing ball of heat: the sun. The red sun produces its energy by a process that we humans have yet to properly harness, nuclear fusion. Though we have yet to sustain fusion, we have utilized a different source of the suns energy: its photons. The best part about these photons are that they do not emit dangerous gases, they wont run out, and best of all: they are completely free. Being a money-minded finance major, all I can hear are cha-chings when the terms energy and free are used in the same sentence. But in addition, being somebody who wishes to improve the environment, I see this as a win-win situation. You would think that such a safe, profitable, environmentally friendly energy source would be very popular, but on the contrary, it is not. Only about .22% of our energy consumption comes from solar energy (Solar,) which I believe to be a reflection of our naivety and refusal to change. Regardless of these implications, one thing is for sure: solar energy is a very useful and productive energy medium. My readings on solar energy absolutely fascinated me within the subject. Though I am not an engineer and have limited energy-based vocabulary, from what I understand, solar energy is very clean, though not incredibly efficient. The sun, which our round Earth rotates around, produces 4.26 million watts per second,

enough energy to power entire cities; this translates to around 1,300 watts per square meter by the time it hits Earth; around one third of this is reflected back into space, and some is absorbed in the atmosphere. By the time it hits the ground, the sun is producing right around 4.2 kilowatt-hours of energy every days; over the course of a year, this is around a barrel of oils worth of energy. However, these numbers represent maximum efficiency, which we are far from reaching. These numbers are impressive, but the biggest number that stuck out to me was that just 20 days of solar output would exceed all plausible forms of energy on Earth, a true testament to how powerful this energy source could eventually be (How Solar Energy Works.) The original solar technology humans used utilized silicone crystals which, when struck by light, produced an electrical current. These crystals do so because unlike normal material, which simply vibrate when energized, the electrons move around; in a crystal, when light is absorbed, an electron moves up to a higher energy level and continue to move around, creating an electric current. However, these crystals were expensive and difficult to produce. Newer materials utilize cheaper crystals made of gallium, copper, indium, and selenide. However, they are not as efficient as the silicone; the silicone-based crystals are capable of capturing around 23% of light energy. Crystals that the normal consumer could afford capture around 15-18% of light energy. However, the most efficient of all crystals, which are utilized in government satellites and whatnot, can capture almost 50% of sun energy, which is incredibly efficient (How Does Solar Power Work?)

So if this source of energy, which is fairy efficient, causes no damage at all to the atmosphere, is commercially available, and is a plausible source for our energy future, why are we not changing to begin to utilize solar power more frequently? Well, the issue, like many other green resources, lies in the price tag. Solar energy is efficient, but perhaps not efficient enough to match its high price. Solar energy for the average consumer costs around $20,000 to $40,000. The actual panels make up about 45% of this cost, while installation and permitting costs run up about 25% of this. Additional overheard and operational costs make up the remaining 30% of this (Cost of Solar Power.) These prices vary hugely by region, but current estimates value a single watt of solar energy at around $4 or $5. These prices, however, should, in theory, eventually pay for themselves; solar energy nationally averages around $1,000 of savings per year, and with this technology continuing to advance, these numbers, as well as the efficiency of solar energy, are destined to become more and more appealing (What is the Current Cost of Solar Panels?) In finance, we utilize something called the net present value, which factors in initial investments and then future generated cash flows and savings. In my opinion, the sooner an individual invests in solar energy, the quicker he or she will reap the benefits of the net present value equation. Though it may be expensive, it is an investment, and investments do, in time, pay off. In addition, solar energy is just beginning to dig its roots. I do, however, also see the issues with being too reliant on solar energy. It requires quite a lot of maintenance and installation, and does not have a high enough energy output to give us the type of lifestyle we wish to live. Until we discover how to utilize nuclear fusion, perhaps solar energy is best left as a

contributing part of our energy reserves; however, it certainly deserves to be above the fraction of a percent it currently occupies.

"Solar." Institute for Energy Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr 2014. <http://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/energy-overview/solar/>. "How Solar Energy Works." Union of Concerned Scientists. N.p.. Web. 2 Apr 2014. <http://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/energy-overview/solar/>. "How Does Solar Power Work?." Scientific American. N.p.. Web. 2 Apr 2014. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-solar-power-work/>. "Cost of Solar Power." Sunroom. N.p.. Web. 2 Apr 2014. <http://www.sunrun.com/solarlease/cost-of-solar/>. "What is The Current Cost of Solar Panels?." Clean Technica. N.p.. Web. 2 Apr 2014. <http://cleantechnica.com/2014/02/04/current-cost-solar-panels/>.