Introduction
The sun is the source of all life on earth.
Thanks to the sun, there is light, warmth and food on the earth. Many kinds of energy on earth originate from and through solar radiation.
Since the sun doesn't have the same strength at all places and all times, the earth is warmed up unequally. This causes wind which can be converted into electricity by means of wind turbines.
By evaporation we get precipitation which is carried downstream by rivers. The current of this water can provide the energy needed to generate electricity in a hydro-electric power station.
Also fossil fuels, such as coal, brown coal, oil and natural gas have their beginnings in the sun's energy, the energy that was needed for the evolution of the microscopic forms of life of animal or vegetable origin.
The reserves of these fossil fuels, however, are limited. We must use them economically.
English: Solar cells on a Photovoltaic panel at th...
monokristalline Solarzelle
Photovoltaic cells produce electricity directly fr...Not only not to mortgage the future of the coming generations, but also for economic and ecological reasons.
Solar energy?
÷Solar energy today?
The direct use of solar energy will very probably not be able to replace the use of fossil fuels. The quantity, however, is big enough to contribute to the future supply of energy, also in Belgium.
÷The use of solar energy
Belgium gets a total annual amount of solar energy that equals approximately 50 times our yearly primary energy consumption. The bigger part of this solar energy has been used as warmth and daylight since time immemorial but has not been taken into account in the energy consumption. Man benefits from it directly but also indirectly. The sun is the main source of energy for agriculture and stock breeding. We are fed by the sun.
However, if we want to use solar energy for our energy...