Environmental science-unit 3, question #2

Question #2-Please describe, in your own words, the process of creating energy from solar panels. In recent years, humans have become more and more concerned about their overall impact on the environment. This concern has ultimately translated into the development of new technology that is meant to put less strain on the environment’s resources. Solar panels are one such innovation which aids the environment by creating energy, instead of merely using it from sources such as fossil fuels.
Essentially, solar panels create energy through their contact with the sun, according to Richard Wright, author of the book entitled Environmental Science: Toward a Sustainable Future(Wright, 2008). Solar panels are made from special materials, which absorb the heat from the sun. For instance, solar panels have black bottoms, which absorbs heat at a faster and more efficient rate. This heat is used to boil the water that is inside a series of tubes within the solar panel technology, and this water basically traps the energy that lies within the heat(Wright, 2008). In simpler terms, solar energy is able to create energy by collecting heat from the sun, converting the heat into energy through the process of boiling water, and stores this hot water/energy in a tank for later use(Wright, 2008). This energy is then used for the same purposes as energy derived from fossil fuels, including heating a person’s home and running appliances.
According to Wright, solar energy is an extremely good alternative to fossil fuels. “ Just 40 minutes of sunlight…yields the equivalent energy of a year’s expenditure of fossil fuel”(Wright, 2008). Solar panels do not harm the environment like fossils fuels do because, unlike fossil fuels, solar energy is a natural source which does not trap high amounts of carbon within the environment. An added benefit to solar energy is that it will save money on electric bills for those who utilize it. This economic aspect makes it an attractive option for certain people.
Solar panels and solar energy have become a lot more popular in recent years as people become more aware of its overall efficiency. In nations such as America, which uses a lot of energy and resources on a daily basis, utilizing renewable energy is a great way to cut down on humanity’s overall footprint on the environment. Although solar panels may be a bit pricey in terms of the setup, it essentially pays for itself in the amount of money saved on energy because of the fact that, as fossil fuels become more scarce, prices will continue to rise, but the Sun’s existence, on the other hand, is guaranteed for thousands of years to come(Wright, 2008).

References
Wright, R. T. (2008). Environmental science: toward a sustainable future (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N. J.: Pearson.