Essay on “Solar Energy” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Solar Energy

Energy is essential for all developments and industrial activities. All economic activities are directly or indirectly connected with energy. Price and availability of energy is a great deciding factor in the economic health and progress of a country. The growing need of energy is obvious. The requirement of energy and power is met from a variety of forms and sources. The most common commercial sources of power are coal, oil and electricity besides nuclear fuels. The non-commercial and domestic sources of energy are firewood, animal dung, agricultural wastes, etc.

The demand of energy for industrial agricultural and domestic use has been growing at a phenomenal rate. It has given rise to energy crisis. Electricity is the most convenient and versatile form of energy. Electricity can be generated by way of installation of coal-based thermal and diesel power houses or by establishing hydro-electric power stations. The latter kind of power generation uses water available perennial hill streams or the irrigation canals, river dams, etc.

Coal and oil, the chief source of our energy are non-renewable. These conventional sources of energy are on the brink of exhaustion. The supply of fossil fuels, like oil and natural gas will soon reach a point of crisis. It may not take us more than a century to exhaust all the conventional sour take of energy. Moreover with the passage of time and dwindling resources fossil fuel would become more and more costly and a thing of the past for many poor and developing countries. Nuclear energy involves higher capital costs and it is also full of inherent hazards. In such circumstances, the cost of fuel and power are likely to soar higher and higher till conventional power generation will remain no more economically viable. 

Therefore, it is natural that mankind should turn to new and non-conventional sources of energy like bio gas, sun, geothermal, wind and urban waste. Of all these solar energy is likely to play a very vital role in coming years. The sun is almost an inexhaustible and the most clean and cheap source of energy. It is estimated that solar energy would be available to man for more than five billion years. After this very long period of time the sun would get so hot that all living creatures on the earth would get burnt up and destroyed. It is hoped that by the turn of this century much of man’s need of power and energy would be met by the rays of the sun available abundantly and freely all over the world.

Researches on solar energy are being conducted through-out the world. The current Gulf Crisis has further accelerated the pace of research on solar energy. The world’s most oil reserves are confined to the middle east countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran and Iraq. If the war breaks out there, all the oil reserves would be destroyed in flames and conflagration. This would precipitate energy crisis on an unprecedented scale. Because of this war looming large, the oil-prices have already sky-rocketed in the world market. But solar energy is not confined to any particular region and countries. It is freely and abundantly available everywhere. Moreover, tapping of solar energy does not involve any risk and hazards. It is the cleanest and safest kind of energy available. All conventional energy can be replaced or supplemented by solar energy.

India is one of the most suitable countries to supplement or replace the conventional sources of energy. Initially at least, solar energy, in India can be utilized as an answer to the ever increasing energy needs of rural and agricultural areas. India gets sufficient amount of solar radiation over vast areas for a greater part of the year. Systematic efforts of research and development are being made. to tap this renewable and non-conventional energy which is clean and so does not pose any pollution problem. According to the reports available, a simple and more common mode of solar energy utilization is of solar thermal conversion, particularly, those which require low grade thermal energy, have already been found useful both for urban as well as rural areas. These include cooking, water-heating, water desalination, space-heating, crop-drying, refrigeration, etc. Efforts are being made in a number of research and development centres in the country to develop economically viable solar collectors of high temperature applications. A country wide demonstration programme has been taken up by the Government to identify technical, social and economical problems and possible barriers to large scale deployment of solar devices. Efforts are also underway to disseminate the available technology in this field to reduce the pressure on fossil fuels in these sectors.

Under this scheme, different systems like water-heaters, dryers, wood seasoning systems, desalination systems, cold storage, power generating systems, and pumps are being installed. It has been proved beyond any doubt that extensive use of these devices in industries, hospitals, hotels, domestic and institutional sectors has tremendous potentials for conserving conventional fuels, and their large scale use will have a favourable effect in the national economy.

Several models of solar cookers have been developed in the country. These include simple hot box type solar cookers with one reflector, solar ovens with multiple reflectors and solar concentrators. Solar cookers are being sold under a programme of subsidy. A large number of solar photo voltaic pumps have been installed in different parts of the country. These pumps are providing water for drinking purpose in rural areas and for more irrigation. Several lighting systems and Radio and T.V. sets have also been installed.

In the Vedas and the Puranas the sun has been praised and worshipped as a great god and giver of many boons. Now the time has come when the people of the world, at large, would realise the truth of these ancient hymns and laudatory songs offered to the Sun God Even otherwise, in the ultimate analysis the sun is the final source of all energy whether it is fossil fuel, geothermal or of any other kind. According to these ancient and sacred texts the supremacy of resplendent Sun is well established. It is the Sun-god who inspired the most sacred Gayatri Mantra. The Sun is the great giver of boons and blessings. is Savitr dwelling in the ocean of golden light, the dispeller of darkness of fear and ignorance.

In India it is still not possible for nuclear power to become a major alternative source of our energy needs because of many reasons. One of these is that it is too expensive, and another that going for nuclear energy involves many risks. As the time as well fossil fuel is running out, it is imperative that we have some sustainable alternative source of energy. And obviously, that can be the energy from the sun.