For years there have been talks about the impact and benefits of solar energy but despite common knowledge, the world is yet to make solar its primary form of energy resource. The transition to solar energy from conventional energy has not been as rapid as it should have been.
There are many reasons attributed to the slow transition – lack of proper information and awareness is a primary one. Some people simply refused to believe that energy can be produced without burning something of some sort. Fortunately, solar energy is no more a mystery today. In the recent past (10-15 years) solar has increased its mainstream presence. With the tremendous rise in pollution, and the resulting global warming, the need for a sustainable energy resource is of paramount importance today.
Here are top 5 facts about solar energy which you didn’t knew before.
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Solar Energy will supply power to One-third of the world by 2060.
According to International Energy Agency, almost one-third of the world’s population will meet the demand for power supply through Solar Energy.
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If all the energy of the sun shining on the Earth’s land mass could be harnessed, it would be enough to meet the world’s power needs by 6000 times.
The sunshine on the Earth’s land is estimated to be 120,000 terawatts (trillion watts), or about 6,000 times the world’s estimated 20-terawatt electricity demand by 2020.
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Solar Powered Aircraft
Yes! You read it right. NASA has been working on a series of solar powered unmanned aircraft since the 1980’s. Pathfinder, Pathfinder Plus and Helios Prototype, is the result of NASA’s efforts to use solar power for long duration high altitude flights.
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Glass lenses use sun rays to make fire.
Solar energy has started trending from the last 10-15 years, but it’s initial uses dates back to 700 BC, when glass lenses were used to make fire by magnifying Sun Rays.
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World’s First Modern Solar Cell was invented in 1954.
The solar panel cells that we are familiar with was invented by Bells Laboratories, a subsidiary of Nokia in 1954.
There are so many more such facts about solar that aren’t common knowledge yet. The more people know the more they will adopt the concept. We will be back with more such facts. You can do your bit by spreading the word about solar.
Written By: Priyanka
Edited By: Anirban