Essay on Solar Energy and the Energy Crisis - 769 Words

Solar Energy and the Energy Crisis Abstract The energy crisis is a major problem in the United States. Solar energy can help alleviate this problem. Enough solar panels to fulfill the energy needs of the entire United States would take up 27,347 km2 and cost almost 17 trillion dollars. Therefore, although there is enough space for all those solar panels, the economic cost is far too great. However, solar power can be phased in gradually. Solar Energy 3 Solar Energy: Can It Solve the Energy Crisis? The worlds supply of fossil fuels is dwindling. The amount of power generated from renewable energy sources needs to be increased, as there is little chance of power consumption decreasing. Solar power is a relatively untapped power†¦show more content†¦Another way of generating electricity from solar radiation is through the use of solar thermal energy. Power plants that generate electricity in this way use mirrors to focus the suns energy. The focused energy is used to boil water and create steam to drive a turbine (Solar Energy). However, if solar power usage were to become more widespread, then the energy shortage the Figure 1 ( data from Annual Energy Review, 2003) United States is experiencing would be lessened. Combined with energy conservation and increased use of other renewable sources (such as wind power and geothermal power), the energy crisis could become a thing of the past. Results/Discussion The Annual Energy Review states that the United States used 98.156 quadrillion BTU of energy in the year 2003. That is equal to 2.8766684 Ãâ€" 1013 kilowatt hours. Since there are 8765.81277 hours in one year, 3.28169044 Ãâ€" 1012 watts are generated per year. A solar panel with an area of one square meter produces 120 watts (Solar Cell, 2005), so 2.73474203 Ãâ€" 1010 square meters would be required to produce that amount. That is equivalent to 10,558.898 square miles, or 27,347.420 square kilometers. That value agrees with National Geographics value of approximately 10,000 square miles, which is an area bigger than Vermont but [a]ll those panels would fit on less than a quarter of the roof and pavement space in cities and suburbs (Parfit, 2005). However, this manyShow MoreRelated Solar Energy is not a Solution to the American Energy Crisis1322 Words   |  6 PagesSolar Energy is not a Solution to America’s Energy Crisis With the growing cost of fuel for cars and the rolling blackouts of last summer, the need for an alternative, cost-effective, environment friendly energy source is escalating. Many possible solutions have been presented, such as nuclear power, wind power, and hydrogen fuel cells; prevalent among these is solar power. Solar cells directly convert photons from the sun into electricity (Wikipedia). 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