Renewable Energy; Solar Thermal Energy

It’s no secret that fossil fuels are rapidly depleting. What is not so well known is that Generation Y (my generation) is going to be around to see it. That is why immediate action to incorporation renewable energy sources is crucial. Specifically, the government should stop giving subsidies to oil companies and instead be using taxpayers’ money to develop solar energy, such as, solar thermal energy in order to establish a sustainable, clean, responsible and efficient form for energy for generations to come. While solar energy startup and even maintenance costs can be just as expensive as oil and coal production, solar energy is undoubtedly worth the price in the long run, even solely for the benefit of CO2 reduction. As far as using solar thermal energy locally, my hometown of Bloomington, Indiana currently uses solar thermal energy for various residential and commercial uses, but there is much room for expansion. Finally, I am a firm believer that helping the world consequently helps us in return and I believe that eventually, tax payers’ dollars could even be used to install solar energy devices in LDCs to ultimately better the world we all live in. Solar thermal energy is defined as harnessing the sun’s solar energy for thermal energy consumption. The three different levels can be consumed in different ways. High-temperature collects use the sun’s energy, concentrated by mirrors or lenses, to either heat a fluid filled pipe or drive a Sterling engine in the means of producing electric power. This is seen to be the most efficient type of energy production compared to other sources of solar technology. Solar thermal energy at a medium or low level is typically used, at its simplest form, to heat water. This can hot water can be consumed in a residential or commercial setting, to heat showers, cooking water, sinks, cleaning water. At a low level, solar thermal energy can heat and maintain pool water. One significant benefit of solar thermal energy (and most

Cited: J.S. Ramos, Helena M. Ramos. “Solar powered pumps to supply water for rural or isolated zones: A case study”. Energy for Sustainable Development, Volume 13, Issue 3, September 2009, Pages 151–158. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2009.06.006 M.V.J.J. Suresh, K.S. Reddy, Ajit Kumar Kolar. “4-E (Energy, Exergy, Environment, and Economic) analysis of solar thermal aided coal-fired power plants” Energy for Sustainable Development, Volume 14, Issue 4, December 2010, Pages 267–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2010.09.002 "Solar Bloomington 2010." Sirensolar.org. SIREN Southern Indiana Renewable Energy Network, 2010. Web. 6 Apr. 2013.