Solar Power

<script type=”text/javascript”>
</script>
<script type=”text/javascript”
src=”http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js“>
</script>

There are two different types of solar panel. Solar thermal panels are used to collect the sun’s energy to heat water. Solar photovoltaic panels use the sun’s energy to produce electricity – silently and effortlessly. The solar panels referred to in this briefing are solar photovoltaic panels which have the potential to replace the dirty Electricity generated by fossil fuels and nuclear power with clean electricity from the sun. SOLAR POWER – THE BASICS In quarter of an hour enough of the sun’s energy is received by the earth To power humankind’s activities for a whole year. Solar panels can convert this energy from the sun directly into electricity. Electricity that can be used to power homes and businesses. Without contributing to global warming or acid rain. And without creating radioactive waste. The more solar panels that are used, the more electricity can be Generated. A single solar panel can produce enough electricity to power a computer. Forty solar panels can power a house. Solar panels installed on buildings throughout The UK could produce as much electricity as we need to power the whole country. At the moment, solar power is more expensive than the electricity we buy from electricity companies. However, the price of this electricity does not reflect the damage to the environment caused by the electricity nightmare [link to electricity nightmare page] of nuclear and fossil fuel power stations. Nuclear power and fossil fuels have also benefitted from long-term investment from the Government and the electricity industry, which has had the effect of keeping prices low. If solar power was given the sort of investment and support that dirty fossil fuel and nuclear electricity generation have received, prices would come down. Then everybody would have the choice of using clean electricity from the sun. Solar panels produce electricity all year round. They work best when the sun is at its brightest, but also produce electricity on cloudy days, in the winter, in the snow and even when it is raining. Most of the electricity that we use today is produced by burning fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas – a process that produces huge amounts of carbon dioxide. Climate change is caused by increased levels of heat-trapping “greenhouse” gases in the atmosphere – carbon dioxide is the main culprit. Globally, the electricity industry is responsible for pumping out six billion tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. Nuclear power has been touted for years as a “solution” to the problems of generating electricity by burning fossil fuels. However the production of electricity by nuclear fission is itself a highly polluting process that leads to the emission of radioactive discharges into the land, sea and air. The process also leads to the creation of waste that will remain radioactive for thousands of years and cost billions of pounds to store. It is also inextricably linked with the production of nuclear weapons. On top of all this the generation of electricity from nuclear power also always comes with the threat of horrific accidents. Solar power is safe and clean. The generation of electricity using solar power does not release any carbon dioxide, or other greenhouse gases, into the atmosphere. Solar power produces no radioactive waste, and does not endanger life, now, or in the future. Solar power also has the advantage of being able to generate power in the heart of our cities – where most electricity is consumed. Greenpeace believes that we need a solar future if we are going to save the environment from the enormous damage that is being done by the way we are currently generating electricity.