Solar Radiation, a Friendly Renewable Energy Source

Abstract

‘let there be light and there was light’ , Genesis 1:1. This quotation from the Holy Bible refers to the coming into being, the “Sun”; thus “Energy”, by the spoken words of God. The sun is a common feature in our sky; it is seen crossing the sky from one extreme horizon to the other every day, giving us light and heat. However, little did the world realize what a prodigious and free source of energy God has made available for mankind. Among the alternative renewable energy sources, solar power is a prime choice in developing affordable, discentralizable global power source that can be adopted for use in all climate zones around the world. This energy is free but the equipment to collect it and convert it to useable energy can be costly. Energy is radiated from the sun in all directions in space in the form of electromagnetic radiations (sun rays). The average amount of solar energy radiated to earth is about 1kW/m2, depending on the latitude and regional weather pattern of a location on the Earth’s surface (Green, 2001).