Solar and wind are two important energy power, If you question people on the street what types of renewable energy are available to the homeowner, most will think of solar and wind, but how do these two energy sources truly compare? they are different in benefits and cost.
Both alternative energy sources are clean and friendly to the environment, even when you consider the effects of manufacturing the components, shipping, and the on-site installation. And during operation, there are no harmful emissions released into the atmosphere nor is there anything leaked into the soil.
Both solar and wind can also provide on-site electrical power generation without us having to rely on unstable countries or volatile markets to supply non renewable fossil fuels. Both are viable and valuable sources of green renewable energy and offer a good investment return in the long-term.
As you read through the solar energy facts, you'll discover that recent advances in solar power will help our environment as never before and ensure the future of our planet. Finding affordable solar power applications for your home is a step in the right direction to reduce your carbon footprint and save money too.
One simple definition of renewable energy is "energy that's replenished naturally in a short period from a source that cannot be depleted." That defines solar: Clean, renewable energy can be produced directly from the sun as photoelectric energy, thermal energy, or photochemical energy.
Sunlight, composed of photons, steams through Earth's atmosphere from the sun. As the sunlight strikes a photovoltaic (PV) cell in a solar panel, that "solar power cell" responds to the photons by generating a small electric current which is fed into and throughout the home using the same wires and other components as are used by the utility company.
Wind energy operates by a completely different principle, but there are similarities. The kinetic energy or force of the wind turns propeller-like blades mounted on the shaft of a wind turbine. As wind turns the blades, the shaft spins a magnet wrapped by a coil of wire. As the magnet spins, electrons in the wire react to the magnetic force and are moved along inside the wire creating an electric current that's fed into the home.
The operation of a wind turbine is simple in principle and quite similar to the way that a tiny dynamo resting on a turning bicycle wheel generates enough electrical current to light the bicycle's headlight, or the way a hand-crank LED flashlight generates power to charge its battery.
The sun and wind are amply available and cost nothing. However, there ARE significant costs associated with converting those examples of renewable energy into usable electrical power, not to mention some unique physical limitations and engineering challenges to overcome.
•Materials to build a wind turbine or a photovoltaic panel array
•Manufacture and assembly of the many components
•Transporting and warehousing the components
•On-site installation of the home power system
None of those are free. All have a carbon footprint to some degree. And although recent technological advances have been made, solar and wind power cannot produce the same amount of electricity as other mainstream energy sources for the same cost. Currently, solar and wind energies remain cost-inefficient for the usable power they produce compared to the fossil fuels: oil, natural gas, and coal.
For example, an ideal location for installing solar power would be at the equator. There, approximately 1,000 W/m2 (watts per square meter) of active solar energy reaches the Earth's surface. Depending on where you live, your latitude, weather, and other uncontrollable factors can often reduce the solar energy availability to an amount between 125-375 W/m2.
And after you factor in a solar panel efficiency of just 10%-15%, depending on the built-in quality of the photovoltaic (PV) panels, you can see that the available energy produced can be low in many locations.
But, enough about the problems associated with solar.
Let's take a closer look at the solar energy facts:
Given the ability to cover an area the size of a house roof with solar panels, even that comparatively small home solar power system can generate about 1.35 kWh/m2 per day. That's enough electricity to power an average household, provided the occupants are careful and conserving and don't waste any power.
So, despite the upfront costs, a solar energy investment more than pays for itself in the long-term. The solar energy facts prove it.
But how does wind compare? In comparison with solar, wind energy has its own problems. Unlike residential solar power systems that can be installed either on the roof or mounted on the ground, small-scale wind turbines are not suitable for all residential applications. The tall wind towers need to be located some distance away from homes and neighbors for health and safety reasons, so a large lot or property area is needed.
There are other problems associated with wind energy. Wind turbines also require maintenance, repair and replacement of worn components. And contrasting to solar's quietness, the constant humming sound of the wind turbines has proved distracting and unnerving to some people, and the turning propellers regularly kill flying birds.
Also, wind turbines rely on almost continual wind and some areas might not receive enough wind to generate the power demanded by most applications. And even in ideal locations, like home solar systems, wind systems may need to be connected to a costly battery storage system or rely on the grid as a backup for those times when the wind isn't blowing.