how does solar power work?
what are the advantages and disadvantages with solar power?
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There are different types. Mostly it just comes down to heating water or other things up with sunlight up or creating electricity with the photovoltaic effect by shining light on certain semi-conductors.
The big problem is that once set up these things work without requiring additional fuel or creating additional emissions.
The downside is that they only work as long as the sun shines and additional measures must be taken to store heat or electricity for the night.
It also creates DC which has to be converted into AC first.
Added issues with electricity created by solar panels is that unlike hydro or nuclear or fossil fuel burning power plants no moving parts are involved. This is a benefit when it comes to maintenance but also means they lack any sort of ability to store energy in turning generators like a flywheel.
A big advantage is that unlike most other types of power generation it can be done on a small scale. With each home having its own solar panels on its roof. It give independence.
Said independence comes at a price to utilities and the ones paying for the upkeep of the grid though. If it is every man for himself the very rich and the very poor lose out.
One big advantage though is that it has become cheaper and cheaper over they ears and reached a point where solar power is cheaper than most alternatives if you excluded all active and passive subsidies by governments.
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