Hi everyone! Today we want to talk about solar energy. Help us in this the Head of our association - Vladislav Volodin. And so here we go:
Part 1. "Solar energy in our lives".
Journalist (J): Good Day, Vladislav. Please tell us about solar energy as a whole. What is it?
Vladislav (V): Hey. What is solar energy? It's easy! Let's start with the simplest, with the energy. Each person need energy for that he might live and grow, right? To do this, the smart people at one time developed and implemented in our lives a large number of power plants that works on fuel cells (gas, oil, coal) or radioactive decay. But ... we have a very big problem. The problem lies in that the sources for these power plants (thermal and nuclear) are very limited. Coal deposits gradually depleted and soon we get an acute shortage. Especially because in essence, we foolishly spend these gifts of our planet. Of coal we can get better materials (fullerenes, nanotubes, etc.), but instead we just burn it. And I think it goes without saying that these methods of producing electricity are dangerous to our health. About nuclear power plants, are the examples of Chernobyl and Fukushima. And then, solar energy comes to us for help. Today, the amount of solar energy that comes to the earth's surface is on average 2.6 * 10 ^ 15 calories per year per square meter. This is approximately equal to 10.88 * 10 ^ 15 joules. It only remains to take this energy and translate into electricity. Here we need solar energy.
(J): That is, if I understand correctly, the solar power can completely replace all the thermal and nuclear power plants and ensure all of the earth's population electricity. Right?
(V): Nearly. That is what we are working and, here the problem is that the efficiency of modern solar cells does not reach normal performance. However, laboratories work, and every year we see much better results. Our group ("Glasses") is also working in this direction. For example, we started working with the powdered material.
(J): Okay, thank you for your answers. I think that's enough for today. So let's move the conversation already tomorrow. Do you agree?
(V): Of course. Tomorrow I will try to tell you about solar cells more specifically.