Solar Energy as a Renewable Alternative: Definition, Applications, and Storage Methods
Overview
This paper examines solar energy as a viable renewable alternative energy source that is economical and environmentally sustainable. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of solar energy definition, active and passive solar techniques, various applications across agriculture, architecture, and transportation, and explores storage methods and economic considerations.
What this essay covers
- Definition of solar energy and introductory developments covering active and passive solar techniques
- Types and forms of solar energy including thermal energy, electricity production through photovoltaics and concentrated solar power
- Applications of solar energy in agriculture, architecture, fuel production, and transport
- Solar energy storage methods including thermal mass systems, phase change materials, and battery technologies
- Development, deployment, economics, and ISO standards for solar equipment
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Paper Outline
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Paper Outline
Topic: What is Solar Energy
Thesis Statement: Solar power is a perfect alternative energy source since it is renewable, economical, and does not pollute the environment (Sukhatme & Nayak, J2017). However, it would be great if we understand what it is, its applications, the pros, and cons to fully understand solar energy.
- Definition of solar energy and introductory developments
- Active solar techniques
- Passive solar techniques
- Types/forms of solar energy and their uses
- Thermal energy
- Early commercial adoption of thermal energy
- Heating, cooling, and ventilation
- Water heating
- Water treatment
- Cooking
- Process heat
- Molten technology (Li et al., 2018)
- Electricity production
- Photovoltaics
- Concentrated solar power
- Applications of solar energy
- Agriculture and horticulture
- Architecture and urban planning
- Fuel production
- Transport (Sengupta et al., 2015)
- Solar energy storing methods
- Thermal mass system
- Phase change materials like paraffin
- Rechargeable batteries
- Pumped-storage hydroelectricity (Kannan, & Vakeesan, 2016)
- Development, deployment, and economics
- ISO standards on solar equipment
- Conclusion
Reference
Sukhatme, S. P., & Nayak, J. K. (2017). Solar energy. McGraw-Hill Education.
Kannan, N., & Vakeesan, D. (2016). Solar energy for future world:-A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 62, 1092-1105.
Li, W., Jin, J., Wang, H., Wei, X., Ling, Y., Hao, Y., ... & Jin, H. (2018). Full-spectrum solar energy utilization integrating spectral splitting, photovoltaics and methane reforming. Energy Conversion and Management, 173, 602-612.
Sengupta, M., Habte, A., Kurtz, S., Dobos, A., Wilbert, S., Lorenz, E., ... & Wilcox, S. (2015). Best practices handbook for the collection and use of solar resource data for solar energy applications.