Renewable energy sources now account for approximately 11% of US energy production, and a huge portion of that is solar energy. The solar boom is here and households and industries are swiftly jumping on board.
The benefits of solar energy are numerous and the potential limitless. If you’d like to learn more about it, keep reading for seven amazing facts about solar energy.
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Solar Energy is Powerful and the Most Abundant Energy Source
The amount of energy that hits the earth from the sun in just one hour is more than the entire world’s energy consumption in a year. This means that the potential of solar technology is huge.
It’s also the most abundant renewable energy as harnessing the energy from the sun doesn’t deplete the sun at all.
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Solar Energy is Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels
The cheapest fossil fuel option is natural gas and solar energy is even more affordable than natural gas. Additionally, the cost of solar panels has dropped by 99% since 1997 as demand for solar power continues to grow.
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A Home Powered by Solar Energy Can Cut 100 Tons of CO2 in 30 Years
One of the biggest benefits of solar energy is that it is the most eco-friendly and sustainable energy source. If you power your home with solar energy technology you can reduce your carbon footprint immensely.
If you’re not ready to install solar panels just yet, why not start off with a solar generator?
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Airplanes Can Run on Solar Power
It’s not just residential units that benefit from solar power. Solar energy can power cars, trains, and even airplanes! In 2016, pilot Bertrand Piccard took on a global flight in an aircraft powered entirely by solar.
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California Is the Leading State in Solar Power
The world’s largest operating solar thermal energy plant, the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, is located in the Mojave Desert in California. Throughout America, California has the highest solar power usage and harnesses enough solar energy to power almost four million homes.
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The First Solar Panel Cell Was Invented in 1941
It was as early as 1839 when the ability to create electricity from the sun’s rays was discovered. Russel Ohl invented the first solar panel over 100 years later. However, it was only in 1954 that the first commercial solar panel was released.
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You Can Go Solar Without Installing Solar Panels
This is probably one of the most surprising solar energy facts. However, you can receive solar energy benefits without installing solar panels. This is due to community solar or shared solar, which works by creating a massive solar farm that hundreds of people can receive solar energy from.
Are You Surprised by These Facts About Solar Energy?
Which of these facts about solar energy is most surprising? Can you believe that solar can power airplanes and that it was first discovered in 1839? The renewable resource is becoming more popular by the day and it’s easy to see why.
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