CE: Green Energy

"One in every four solar energy jobs in America is held by a Californian, and growth in the clean-tech industry is burgeoning nationwide, a new study said."

In a recent study, the National Solar Jobs Census 2011, California is ranked numbered 1 by the number of solar industry jobs.  This report shows that the number of eco-friendly jobs are rising, and alternative energy is being more readily available to the public.  The employment in the industry also grew 6.8 percent, while the US job growth was 1 percent.  However, a solar panel manufacturer in Fremont, Solyndra, has shut down, right after they received a $535 million federal loan, due to bankruptcy.  If we look past that scandal, and take a look at the green technology being developed right now, it truly is remarkable.  That does not only include solar, but hydro, wind, and geothermal energies.

Solar energy is a really convenient energy, and can be used whenever there is a source of light, whether that be sunlight or a lamp.  The material used to make the main part of the solar panel, is silicon.  The silicon has a weak electron bond, therefore it does not have all of the electrons required to be stable.  The electron is combined with a different element, an element that combines with the silicon and produces one excess electron, which leaves a free electron carrying an electrical current.  The electricity that comes out is DC, so you would need a transformer to convert the energy to voltage and AC.


Hydro energy is simple, even dating back to hundreds of years ago.  Think of a watermill.  The water flows into the pedals, which turns the gears.  The gears then move the equipment, doing its job.  It's the same thing for modern technology.  The water flows through a mechanism, which turns a motor.  The motor then generates electricity, due to the movement created by the water.


Wind energy is similar to water, but instead, uses wind.  The wind turbine's blades are created with an angle that provides maximum turning power from the wind.  The turbine then generates electricity because the blades are turning the mechanism, which turns the motor built inside the turbine.  The motor is connected to a transformer, which connects to a power line.


Geothermal energy works in an efficient way.  First they have to find a place suitable to heat up the water underground.  When the water reaches at least 180C, the water, under high pressure, is released into a low pressure environment, causing a flash of steam occur, which drives a turbine.


With the environmental problems in our world today, we have been motivated to develop more efficient ways to harness the energy of the earth, without harming the environment.  I believe that the future holds many possibilities for new, clean energy, and maybe someday, we wouldn't have to worry about a reliable source of energy.