Which is the best renewable source for my home or business, our readers often ask. We’ll leave that question for the providers to answer, because our interests lie in batteries and the environment. So we will rephrase the question at a broader level. Are solar power and wind equally good alternatives to fossil fuel? Or does one have an advantage over the other, when slowing global warming?
How Do Solar Power and Wind Technologies Compare?
Both solar power and wind power harvest the energy freely around us, everywhere we go outdoors. Sufficient sunlight strikes the earth in ninety minutes, to meet global energy requirements for an entire year.
Solar panels receive energy in radiated light from the sun, and convert it to electricity using photovoltaic cells. These cells absorb the energy and create electrical charges. The charges move in response to an internal electrical field, resulting in a flow of electricity.
Wind power converts kinetic energy in the natural movement of air, which results from uneven heating of earth’s surface by the sun. Wind turbines capture this movement using giant propeller-like blades, which rotate a turbine around a rotor. This turbine spins a generator, which creates electricity.
Comparing the Strength of These Two Technologies
- Solar energy is abundant and available almost everywhere. Solar panels are scalable. They suit large installations in solar parks, all the way down to tiny ones that charge phones. They also require minimal maintenance under tolerable weather conditions.
- Wind power generates a considerable amount of electricity, especially where there are consistent, strong winds. The land on which wind turbines stand can be used for other purposes in parallel. They are evolving and becoming increasingly competitive.
The answer to the question, ‘how do solar power and wind compare’, therefore depends on location and weather conditions. Together, they make a powerful combination. But they do need a third component, storage batteries, to store their electricity so we can draw it when we need it.
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