Alternative Energy
Solar energy is the energy obtained from the Sun. The incident solar radiation on the Earth and can be leveraged, by its ability to heat, or directly, through the use of radiation in optical devices. It is a type of renewable energy, by what is known as green energy. The power of radiation varies with the time of day, weather conditions that dampen it and latitude. It can be presumed that, in good conditions of irradiation, the value is approximately 1000 W/m at the Earth’s surface. This power he known as irradiance. Radiation is usable in its direct and diffuse components, or the sum of both.
Direct radiation comes directly solar focus, without reflections or refractions that are intermediate. The diffuse is emitted by the daytime sky thanks to the multiple phenomena of reflection and solar refraction in the atmosphere, clouds and other atmospheric and terrestrial elements. Direct radiation can reflect and concentrate for use, on the other hand cannot concentrate the diffused light coming from all directions. Wind energy is the energy obtained from the wind, i.e., the kinetic energy generated by effect of air currents, and that is converted into other forms useful to man. The term wind comes from the latin Aeolicus, and is relative to Aeolus, God of the winds in Greek mythology. Wind energy has been used since antiquity to make move boats powered by sails or operate machinery of mills to move their blades. Today wind power is used mainly to generate electricity using wind turbines. At the end of 2007, the global capacity for wind generators was 94.1 gigawatts. While wind power generates around 1% of global electricity consumption, represents about 19% of electricity production in Denmark, 9% in Spain and Portugal, and 6% in Germany and Ireland.