For a few years, there have been fewer worries about using oil and natural gas to power electrical appliances and other types of technological advancements. But when oil prices started surging, worries about the depletion of energy resources have become evident. Apart from their unsustainable state, the adverse affects of using them have also raised several concerns. Acid rain, smog and other forms of pollution are disadvantages of using these energy sources. Fortunately, there are already renewable types of energy sources that, with the help of technology, can be harvested and used to power our homes. Compared to using oil and natural gas, using renewable energy has no adverse effects on the environment.
How Solar Energy is Harvested
One of the best forms of renewable energy is solar energy. This type of energy however won’t be useful without the help of technology. For solar energy to become useful, solar panels and a system that converts heat into electricity are needed. Usually, this system is installed on roofs where sunlight is directly available.
A solar panel is composed of photovoltaic (PV) tiles and an inverter. The PV tiles work to trap heat from the sun and convert them into a raw form of electricity. The first layer of the PV tiles is composed of glass while the second layer is composed of negative and positive slices of silicon that converts heat into direct current or DC. Electrical appliances however, do not use DC so it has to be converted into alternating current or AC.
The inverter of the solar panel is responsible for converting DC into AC. Inverters are not yet 100% efficient so a small amount of electricity is lost in the conversion. However, inverters will last for a long time and do not require maintenance so it is still efficient as a whole in providing energy source compared to fuel and natural gas.
Alaska Denali National Park’s Green Technology
Alaska is one of the states who are keen on using renewable energy. In fact, the Alaska Denali National Park showcases green technology-a solar powered exhibit center. The building was made from pure recycled or green materials available in Alaska, so the park administrators also preferred to use green technology to power the 14,000 square foot building.
The solar panels at Alaska Denali Park’s exhibit center are slightly different from the usual residential types. Instead of being installed on the roof, the solar panels are installed on the windows. They also double as lighting and heating systems so the exhibit center is self-sufficient on its own.
When operating at 100% efficiency, the solar panels provide 3.5 kilowatts of power to Alaska Denali Park’s exhibit center. The electricity produced is used to power all electrical fixtures of the building, excluding the lighting system. During summer months, the solar panels power the four fans that ventilate the whole building.
Solar panels are an innovative form of technology that can help conserve depleting energy sources and avoid the adverse effects of using them. Alaska’s Denali National Park is only one of the few facilities that can prove the possibility of solar energy and how it can be self-sufficient.
