Solar- Harnessing the Sun's Energy

What Is Solar Energy?

As the name implies, solar energy is generated using the sun’s powerful rays.  Because sunlight is inexhaustible, solar energy is a valuable renewable energy source – capable of directly generating heat, light and electricity.

According to the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL), the amount of energy from the sun that falls to the earth in one day could supply the entire world's energy needs for 27 years!  Developing technologies that take advantage of the clean abundant energy of the sun is important to reducing greenhouse gasses and helping to stimulate the economy.

There are two ways that sunlight can be converted to electricity:

1) Directly, as in the case of photovoltaic (PV) applications
2) Indirectly as in the case of solar thermal applications

Photovoltaic (PV) Applications

Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert sunlight directly into electricity and are made of semiconductors such as crystalline silicon or various thin-film materials. Photovoltaics can provide tiny amounts of power for watches, large amounts for the electric grid, and everything in between.  Solar panels made up of PV cells are the most widespread and recognizable method for converting the sun’s rays into electric power - you might have even seen solar panels on homes and businesses in your neighborhood.

Solar Thermal Applications

Solar thermal collectors capture heat from sunlight and use it in a variety of ways.  High temperature thermal collectors utilize mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight, collect its heat, and convert the heat into electricity. Most large utility scale solar facilities are designed in this way.

On the other hand, low-temperature thermal collectors use heat directly for hot water or space heating for residential, commercial, and industrial facilities.

What Are the Benefits?

Volatile energy prices have fueled interest in alternatives such as solar energy. Solar power can help alleviate capacity problems on local utility systems, especially during peak electricity demand periods. It also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing the use of electricity generated by fossil-fueled power plants.

What Glexoil offer

Glexoil Power Solutions (GPS), a Glexoil  subsidiary, is one of the largest installer of solar energy systems for education institutions and communities. Over the past decade, the company has developed hundreds of projects involving energy efficiency and renewable power for education, government and business customers in the world.