The use of sustainable and clean forms of energy as an alternative to fossil fuels can reduce the impact that human activities have on the environment. Among the best known forms of renewable energy is solar energy, i.e., energy derived from radiation emitted by the sun.
Inexhaustible, available all over the globe and totally free from the emission of harmful substances, solar energy is finding new and wider areas of application. In order to promote and facilitate its use, innovative, powerful and high-performance systems and devices are needed.
In this article, we will explain what solar energy is and how it works, what advantages it offers, and what innovations companies in the sector have put in place to make the most of it.
What is Solar Energy
The sun provides us with light and heat in the form of solar radiation, which reaches every part of the planet, albeit in different quantities.
Already in the late 1830s, a French physicist, Alexandre Edmond Becquerel, had discovered that, when interacting with specific liquids, the sun’s rays could produce energy.
This early discovery opened the door to studies and research that, over time, led to the creation of the first silicon solar cells and, later, to the realization of proper photovoltaic solar panels, today also available in extremely high-performance and sophisticated versions.
How solar Energy Works
The production of electricity from the sun’s rays occurs through the interaction between the photons of electromagnetic radiation and the electrons of specific materials; the most reactive in this respect are semiconductors, first and foremost silicon, one of the most widely used materials in the manufacture of photovoltaic panels.
In addition to generating electricity, solar energy can also be harnessed to produce thermal energy, which today can be used heat domestic water.
The Benefits of using solar Energy
It is normal to wonder whether one’s own business can also benefit from the use of solar energy. Generally, the answer is positive, as by relying on photovoltaics it is possible to:
- reduce CO2 emissions;
- reduce costs in energy bills;
- embark on a path towards energy autonomy.
Of course, before embarking on any path, it is crucial to carefully assess the characteristics of one’s business, the facilities one has available for the installation of photovoltaic panels, the area in which you one is located, and so on.
Sustainable energy: company initiatives
Companies operating in the renewable energy sector are doing a lot to enable their customers to have clean energy available for their activities.
This includes, for example, the creation of photovoltaic parks, carefully chosen locations that accommodate large quantities of photovoltaic panels to feed clean energy into the grid, as well as the use of digitized and smart solutions, which are essential for increasing the performance of installations.
In order to realize their projects, renewable energy companies obviously need high-quality, reliable and durable materials, such as those produced by Prysmian, a leading company in the cable industry, as well as adequate space and funding to increase the budget to invest in growth.