Solar energy is a natural form of energy that is produced from the powerful heat and light derived from the sun. The energy is obtained in a form of electromagnetic radiation is turned into usable to power home appliances, car batteries and to light up the house. It is a cheap source of energy since it is obtained from a natural source. Solar energy is very convenient to use during summer season when the sun rays are very strong therefore a lot of solar energy can be generated. Furthermore it is a clean source of energy since it is created direct from the sun.
Factors determining the amount of solar energy generation
The solar heaters or solar panels should be placed in a location where the solar rays can reach the panels effectively so as to generate a lot of power. This could be on top of the roof, where there's no shadow that can hinder the electromagnetic rays from reaching the solar panels. However when it comes to solar energy you should know that amount of power that you are able to generate is greatly determined by the season of the year.
For instance during winter season, small amount of solar energy can be generated because one part of the earth is far from the sun therefore you receive less concentrated amount of solar energy. The season is very cold and the sun rays are very minimal and are very scattered and cannot reach the solar panels directly. The time of the day also plays a key role. In the afternoon hours when it is extremely hot, then one can generate a lot of solar energy that can be used for several days.
The geographical location of your house also plays a key role in the amount of solar energy that one can generate. When the sun is able to hit the surface directly then it means that the rays will reach the solar panels overhead and directly hence tapping a lot of solar energy. The other factors that determine the amount of solar energy that can be created are air pollutants, clouds, and the amount of water vapor, dust and air molecules.
These factors hinder the amount of sunlight that hits the earth's surface. When the sunlight is affected diffuse sunlight is received which less generation of solar energy because, the solar rays will be scattered or will take a long time to reach the earth's surface therefore solar panels will receive a small amount of electromagnetic rays.
Measurement of sunlight and Solar Energy
The amount of sunlight can be measured and it presented as the total amount of radiation on a surface tracking the sun. This is closely estimated to the amount of solar energy received in locations, with same climate, latitude and environmental conditions. The measurement of solar sunlight is done by the use of a solar panel which automatically tracks the sun. The amount of solar energy generated therefore is measured and represented as kilowatt-hr. per square meter; this is the amount of energy in a given location while the direct estimates of overall solar energy is presented as watts per square meter.