Question

How can solar energy be harnessed? Mention any two limitations in using solar energy. How are these limitations overcome?

Answer 1

Harnessing Solar Energy:

1. Sun is considered a great source of energy. Solar energy is known as the light and heat energy that comes from the sun.
   We can harness solar energy in various ways:
   1.1 Solar water heater - It is a device that converts solar energy into thermal energy. Solar radiation is used by them as fuel.
   1.2 Solar cell - A solar cell is a device by which light energy is directly converted into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect. It is based on the principle of the photovoltaic effect. Daylight is converted into direct current (DC) electricity by solar cell.
   1.3 Passive solar heating - It is as simple as letting the sun shine through windows in order to heat the inside of an apartment.

Limitations of Solar Energy:

1. At night, solar energy is not available.
2. Due to the high cost, the household use of solar cells for the generation of electricity is not applicable.

Overcoming the Limitations:

1. We can use solar cell to overcome the above limitations of solar energy.
2. To produce power, solar cells need sunlight, but we can make use of the solar panel system if it's cloudy.