Solar Energy Center

By: John Parks
It may sound like something in the distant future, but we have been experiencing it all our lives. An individual's first discovery of solar energy may have happened one summer day when they turned on the garden hose expecting a cool rinse. To their surprise they were slightly burned by the hot water that was generated as it lay in the mid-day sun. Others found delight in using a magnifying glass to concentrate the suns rays to burn holes in leaves or brown paper bags. White paper didn't work, or was very slow to ignite, teaching us another subtle lesson about physics, and the power of the sun.

Most got tired of the games as soon as it became cloudy, but others remembered their childhood lessons, and vowed to one day harness the energy of the sun. While holding short interest for most the future of the Earth's energy needs were being unveiled. For a few with the desire to experiment, it led to placing large black containers and pipes on their roofs to heat water for their homes. To the masses this seemed ridiculous, with the availability of other cheap sources of energy, using the sun to heat water was ugly and unpractical. It worked, but it was too much trouble, and the technology was not worth developing.

People weren't the first to notice soar heat. Animals appreciate and use the sun as an energy source on a regular basis. It even works after dark, keeping water and many other objects warm until the following day.

Without using any technology, other than proper placement of structures and windows, an abundance of energy was free for the taking. Passive use of it has been both accidentally and intentionally appreciated for centuries. The advanced technology that has been developed in more recent times has turned it into a source of energy that can be depended on twenty-four hours a day, and without ever having full sunlight.

From the instant gratification of having a solar reflector ignite a large piece of wood, to the subtle workings of a small solar cell powering a garden light, the power that has always been available, is now becoming more practical to use. Solar cells have been used in small calculators and cameras for decades. Their use becoming more common on a larger and grander scale was just a matter of time. The possibilities are now endless, with solar energy being able to replace just about any other energy source now in use.

Highway signs and traffic cameras in remote locations that were previously unusable are now dependably operated using solar power. In countries without a good system of generated electricity the sun powers entire schools. Vehicles using solar cells combined with batteries have been developed and are being put into production. Manufacturers of boats, cars, and even airplanes, are taking advantage of solar technology to enhance their performance.

With the recent development of more efficient solar cells, and smaller batteries, the possibilities are beyond imagination. The combining of technologies has lead to many uses of solar energy that have never before been considered.

Today when we say," the Sun is going to be hot tomorrow", it takes on a whole new meaning.

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