Suggest any two ways to improve the usage of solar energy.

With so many different gadgets and technologies that could leverage What is solar energy used for? Solar energy uses captured sunlight to create photovoltaic power (PV) or concentrated solar power (CSP) for solar heating. This energy conversion allows solar to be used to power auto motives, lights, pools, heaters and gadgets. There’s no doubt that the solar-powered products available on the market are increasingly complex. Here’s EnergySage’s top five list for examples of solar energy: • • • • • • • 1. Solar-powered transportation: a new use ofphotovoltaic energy An innovative practice to effectively make use of the sunshine is with transportation powered by photovoltaic (PV) energy. Railroads, subways, buses, planes, cars and even roads can all be powered by solar, and solar transit isbecoming a popular offering in the renewable energy sector. Recently, the solar powered-aircraft Solar Impulse 2 made its way around the world, soaring across the Pacific and making big splashes in iconic photographs. Meanwhile, solar buses are helping China reduce its carbon footprint while simultaneously maintaining efficient mass transit in densely populated cities like Beijing. Finally, solar cars are starting to play a role in racing competitions around the world, especially in Australia where the SolarSpirit model has gained major recognition. With these advances and more, there’s no question that solar power is the transformingtransportation sector aroundthe world. 2. Wearable solar t...

Solar energy is any type of energy generated by the sun. Solar energy is created by nuclear fusion that takes place in the sun. Fusion occurs when protons of hydrogen atoms violently collide in the sun’s core and fuse to create a helium atom. This process, known as a PP (proton-proton) chain reaction, emits an enormous amount of energy. In its core, the sun fuses about 620 million metric tons of hydrogen every second. The PP chain reaction occurs in other stars that are about the size of our sun, and provides them with continuous energy and heat. The temperature for these stars is around 4 million degrees on the Kelvin scale (about 4 million degrees Celsius, 7 million degrees Fahrenheit). In stars that are about 1.3 times bigger than the sun, the CNO cycle drives the creation of energy. The CNO cycle also converts hydrogen to helium, but relies on carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen (C, N, and O) to do so. Currently, less than two percent of the sun’s energy is created by the CNO cycle. Nuclear fusion by the PP chain reaction or CNO cycle releases tremendous amounts of energy in the form of waves and particles. Solar energy is constantly flowing away from the sun and throughout the solar system. Solar energy warms Earth, causes wind and weather, and sustains plant and animal life. The energy, heat, and light from the sun flow away in the form of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). The electromagnetic spectrum exists as waves of different frequencies and wavelengths. The frequency of...

This story was updated on 1/20/2023. The term “solar power” often evokes images of bulky solar panels bolted to rooftops or shimmering solar farms in the desert—but advances in solar energy technologies are made on a regular basis. For example, scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have fabricated a solar cell that can generate a solar conversion efficiency as high as 47.1 percent, and solar cells continue to be fabricated with new and improved materials, such as perovskite and organic semiconductors. Keep reading to learn about seven creative applications of solar energy. 1. Solar Fabrics Tiny, flexible solar panels can now be stitched into the fabric of clothing. Solar filaments embedded into shirts, winter coats, and other types of clothing keep you warmer, power your phone, or provide energy for other portable electronic needs. Other applications include lighting up building facades, awnings, and curtains, or powering heated car seats. Take Our Quiz: 2. Solar Skins “Solar skin” is a novel solar technology created by MIT-spin-off Sistine Solar. As an aesthetic overlay, solar skin transforms the look of any solar panel by using imprinted custom images such as business logos or advertisements. The technology uses selective light filtration to simultaneously display a vibrant image and transmit sunlight to the underlying solar panel with minimal loss in efficiency. 3. Solar-Powered Roads Solar-powered roads have the ability to generate clean energy,...