The Sun is an essential star for life to be there on planet Earth. The sunlight that reaches us every day can heat the Earth, the ocean, and the atmosphere, creating the ideal conditions for life to be possible. Thanks to the Sun, we have light, which allows us to see day and night —through the reflection of the moon—but not only that, sunlight provides the Earth with the energy it needs.
In addition, this star’s gravity helps keep the planets in a stable orbit around it. They wouldn’t turn and follow a straight path if it weren’t for him. Now, is the Sun’s energy inexhaustible? We answer these questions so you can get rid of doubts.
Why is the Sun’s Energy Inexhaustible?
The energy of the Sun is inexhaustible, of that there is no doubt. Researchers have repeatedly pointed out that the Sun is like a continuous canister of nuclear fusion. This means that said star is made up of several nuclei that fuse, forming a heavier one and triggering a reaction that releases a high amount of nuclear energy.
Today, this is the most important energy source, and numerous studies are being carried out to recreate it at a minuscule level in laboratories – although there is still a long way to go. In any case, these nuclear fusion reactions of the Sun enhance its effects, so to date, there are still about 5,000 million years of life left before it goes extinct. That is half of its life so far (according to theorists, the Sun will go extinct when it has completed 10,000 million years).
As you can see, there is still a long time before the Sun disappears, and many other factors can also come into play that affects both the Sun’s life and that of the planet. It is for this reason that this star is considered an inexhaustible source of energy or a renewable energy source. In addition, according to the definition of a renewable energy source, inexhaustible solar energy does not generate waste. Its use is carried out by generating a very low environmental effect.
If the Sun Suddenly Stopped Shining, What Would Occur?
Much has been said about why the Sun’s energy is inexhaustible and how many years of life it has left. Now, what would happen if the Sun went out permanently? What would happen to Earth and the other planets that rotate in orbit? According to the theory most accepted by the scientific community —or one of the most accepted— at the moment of approaching the end of the Sun’s life, when all the hydrogen and helium of which it is composed have been consumed (71% hydrogen and 27 % helium, approximately), there would be a big explosion.
As the scholars claim, the Sun would first become a red giant star and rapidly begin to contract, causing its temperature to rise even more. At that precise moment, the great explosion would occur, which would also cause several of the layers that are part of the planetary nebula to detach. Afterward, the Sun would become a tiny, white-sized star and continue to shine for an indeterminate amount of time before finally becoming a black dwarf star— or a dead star.
As the Sun gradually fades, this would affect human beings and possible living beings on other planets that revolve around its orbit. All of them would die due to the Earth’s high temperatures; the expansive wave would end up completely consuming Mercury, Venus, and the Earth itself. Other scientific theories consider, however, that the sudden and devastating explosion of the Sun is unlikely. They add that this is so because this star is not a giant supernova that can explode from one day to the next but a dwarf star dying little by little.
Advantages of Inexhaustible Solar Energy: How Can It Be Used?
This article explains that solar energy is inexhaustible, at least until some 5,000 million years have passed. This allows us to continue to take advantage of it for a long time. And it is that solar energy has a large number of advantages, mainly because it can be used by any user who has a photovoltaic solar installation.
Solar panels offer the possibility of transforming solar radiation into electricity so that it can be used exclusively for the installation of the house or combined with the energy of the general electrical network. This considerably lowers costs. These are the main advantages of solar energy:
It reduces dependence on the general electrical network: Thanks to photovoltaic solar panels, it is possible to generate electricity and not depend on the general network. In addition, thermal panels can also be used for home heating and domestic hot water without using other energy sources.
It is inexhaustible: In addition, it is renewable and free. Nor does it emit toxic substances and pollutants into the atmosphere.
It reduces pollution: Solar energy used to generate electricity reduces pollution caused by using fossil fuels for the same purpose.
It is subsidized: Many administrations offer aid for obtaining solar panels or carrying out the installation at home. In addition, the corresponding discounts on taxes. On the other hand, there are economic compensations —although very small— for the excess electricity that is discharged into the general electricity grid in the form of a discount on the bill or directly.
Photovoltaic Solar Systems
To utilize solar energy, you may do it in two ways, one as a source of heat in solar thermal systems and another as a source of electricity in solar photovoltaic systems. For the latter, solar panels capture sunlight and convert it into electricity. Each panel comprises a set of cells or cells responsible for transforming light (photons) into electricity (electrons).
The cells are connected, forming a series circuit increasing the output voltage to 12 or 24 Volts. At the same time, several parallel circuit networks are connected to increase the electrical production of each panel. The electrical current obtained is direct current .and inverters and/or energy power converters are used to obtain alternating current and be able to use it in our homes.
Passive Solar Technology
Another clever way to use solar energy is to put, for example, large windows on the sunny side of a building so that sunlight reaches the heat-absorbing materials in the walls and floor. These surfaces release heat at night, keeping the building warm and saving energy consumption. Similarly, the absorber plates on the roofs can heat the water that passes through the pipes and thus provide hot water to a home.
Be it one way or another, solar energy is, without a doubt, an inexhaustible source of non-polluting and efficient energy that must occupy a primordial place among the other energy sources used today. In addition, its great versatility makes it an excellent candidate. Solar cells produce solar power for satellites orbiting the Earth and light entire buildings in the city’s center or a cabin in the middle of a mountain.
Wrapping Up:
The Earth receives every hour the energy necessary to cover the annual energy needs of the entire world. This energy comes from the Sun, and the technology that allows us to take advantage of this energy is called solar energy. Despite being an inexhaustible, reusable, and ecological source, it currently only covers 1% of the world’s energy demand.
