The Power Above essays

The Power Above essays In the constant search for more efficient sources of energy, solar power surely shows much promise. The sun will last longer than any humans will, therefore this is one of the only renewable natural resources of energy that has been found. Solar cells, or photovoltaics, convert light energy into electrical energy. Although most of the energy is not converted to electricity, they run at a low enough cost that there mechanical efficiency basically becomes irrelevant. Photovoltaics offer some of the best opportunities currently available in the energy production field, at least weather-permitting. The remarkably high reliability of photovoltaic cells helps to keep them a viable option for alternative energy sources, if not the most viable. These cells originally were created for outer space, where repair of equipment is extremely costly, if even possible at all. Photovoltaics can operate though for years at a time with little or no maintenance whatsoever. In fact, solar cells remain the most often used power source in satellites for that very reason. Of course, the best part about sunlight is something every American, and probably every person in the world, likes very much. Sunlight is free, and as far as the world is concerned, unlimited! Due to the low maintenance and lack of moving parts on the photovoltaics, they are ideal for places where maintenance is costly or just not feasible for any reason. Therefore, solar power comes at a nominal cost to the consumer and to businesses. With global warming on the rise, the environment has become a major concern of not only America, but of nearly every country in the world. Fossil fuel emissions have damaged the atmosphere for decades, creating this greenhouse effect. Nuclear power presents the constant threat of nuclear meltdown. Surely few advanced countries would be willing to put all their power resources into another Chernobyl incident. ...