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We have some good reasons to completely
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switch over to solar power.
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It's cheaper in many cases,
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and definitely more sustainable
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than our dependance on traditional power plants
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that use resources like coal,
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which will eventually run out.
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So why don't we replace these
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traditional plants with solar energy?
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Because there's one factor that makes
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solar power very unpredictable:
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cloud cover.
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As the sun's rays move towards Earth,
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some get absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere,
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some are reflected back into outer space,
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but the rest make it to the Earth's surface.
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The ones that aren't deviated
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are called direct irradiance.
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The ones that are deflected by clouds
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are called diffuse irradiance.
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And those rays that first get reflected by a surface,
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like a nearby building,
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before reaching the solar energy system
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are called reflected irradiance.
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But before we can examine how clouds
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affect the sun's rays and electricity production,
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let's see how these solar energy systems work.
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First up, we have solar towers.
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These are made up of a central tower
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surrounded by a huge field of mirrors
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that track the sun's path and focus
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only the direct rays onto a single point on the tower,
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kind of like an eager beachgoer.
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The heat generated by these rays
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is so immense that it can be used to boil water
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producing steam that drives a traditional turbine,
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which makes electricity.
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But when we say solar energy systems,
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we're usually talking about photovoltaics,
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or solar panels,
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which are the systems most commonly used
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to generate solar power.
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In solar panels,
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photons from the sun's rays hit the surface of a panel,
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and electrons are released
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to get an electric current going.
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Solar panels can use all types of irradiance,
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while solar towers can only use direct irradiance,
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and this is where clouds become important
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because depending on their type and location
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relative to the sun,
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they can either increase or decrease
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the amount of electricity produced.
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For instance, even a few cumulus clouds
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in front of the sun can reduce
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the electricity production in solar towers
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to almost zero because of this dependence on direct rays.
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In solar panels, those clouds would decrease
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energy output as well,
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though not as much
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because solar panels can use all types of irradiance.
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However, all this depends on the clouds exact positioning.
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Due to reflection, or a particular phenomeon
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called Mie scattering,
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the sun's rays can actually be focused forward
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by clouds to create a more than 50% increase
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in the solar irradiance reaching a solar panel.
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If this potential increase isn't accounted for,
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it could damage the solar panel.
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Why does this matter?
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Well, you wouldn't want this lesson to stop
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just because a cloud passed over the panel on your roof.
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In solar towers, huge tanks of molten salt or oil
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can be used to store any excess heat
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and use it when needed,
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so that's how they manage the problem
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of fluctuating solar irradiance to smooth out
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electricity production.
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But in the case of solar panels,
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there currently isn't any way to affordably
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store extra energy.
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That's where traditional power plants come in
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because to correct for any fluctuations
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in these solar powered plants,
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extra electricity from traditional sources
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always needs to be available.
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But then why aren't these tradtional power plants
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just used as a backup,
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instead of us humans depending on them
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as our main sources of energy?
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Because it's impossible for an employee
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at a coal fired or a nuclear plant
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to turn a knob to produce
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more or less electricity depending
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on how many clouds there are in the sky.
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The response time would simply be too slow.
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Instead, to accommodate these fluctuations,
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some extra electricity from traditional power plants
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is always being produced.
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On clear sky days,
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that extra electricity might be wasted,
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but when cloudy skies prevail,
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it's what fills the gap.
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This is what we currently depend on
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for a constant supply of energy.
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For this reason, a lot of researchers
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are interested in forcasting the motion
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and formation of clouds through satellite images
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or cameras that look up at the sky
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to maximize the energy from solar power plants
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and minimize energy waste.
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If we could accomplish that,
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you'd be able to enjoy this video
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powered solely by the sun's rays,
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no matter what the weather,
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although if the sun is shining,
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you may be tempted to venture outside
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to go and do a different kind of cloud gazing.