Solar energy in Spain: what are its benefits and how does

Solar energy in Spain: what are its benefits and how does it work?

Solar energy in Spain

Solar energy installations are increasingly popular in Spain, it is not surprising since the country has an average of 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. In this article, we will tell you how it is obtained, what types exist according to the technology used, what it is for, and what are its main benefits and drawbacks.

How is solar energy obtained?

Solar energy is a renewable energy that is obtained from the capture of solar radiation (heat light and ultraviolet rays) to generate heat and electricity.

The sun is a waiting that is made up of helium, hydrogen, and carbon and behaves like a reactor that converts nuclear energy into solar radiation, which is what reaches the earth.

Not all solar energy reaches the earth. Once through the atmosphere, radiation loses intensity due to absorption, diffusion, and reflection from gases and particles suspended in the atmosphere. For this reason, solar radiation is divided into:

Direct solar radiation: it passes through the atmosphere without any change of direction.

Scattered or diffuse radiation: it is the one that reaches the earth after the phenomena of reflection and diffusion.

Direct, diffuse, and scattered solar radiation

The use of solar energy systems will be higher the more they are oriented towards the sun and the fewer obstacles there are (such as clouds). Likewise, it will also be greater in those places that have more hours of sunlight per year.

• What types of solar energy are there?
• Depending on the purpose and the technology used, we distinguish three types of solar energy:
• Photovoltaic solar energy: to produce electricity by photovoltaic conversion.
• Solar thermal energy: to produce heat and sanitary water by thermal conversion.
• Passive solar energy: use of solar energy without extra technology to transform it.
• what is photovoltaic energy?

Photovoltaic solar energy uses a technology to transform solar rays into electricity thanks to the silicon of the photoelectric cells that make up the photovoltaic panels, which we know as the photovoltaic effect. When the modules receive sunlight, the electrons move and the electrical current is generated.

The components of the system will depend on the type of photovoltaic installation: connected to the grid or isolated self-consumption system. The transformation of solar energy into electrical energy in a self-consumption system is carried out without mobile mechanisms and chemical reactions. It is one of the simplest renewable energies.

How does solar thermal energy work?

Solar thermal energy absorbs sunlight through solar collectors, also called thermal solar panels, whose function is to receive and concentrate solar radiation to heat a fluid and that is used for heating, sanitary water, or electricity through a thermosolar plant.

Sanitary hot water (DHW) is that intended for human consumption (drinking) and has been heated to use for sanitary purposes, such as for showering or cleaning dishes and glasses.

• We distinguish three types of solar thermal energy based on their temperature:
• â–• Low-temperature thermal energy: if the temperature is below 90ºC.
• â–• Medium temperature thermal energy: if the temperature oscillates between 90 and 250 ºC.
• â–• High-temperature thermal energy: for applications that require temperatures above 250 - 300 ºC.

The classification of solar thermal energy based on the working temperature is important since depending on this, the application will be different. For low temperatures, its application is focused on heating domestic hot water in homes; for medium temperatures, it is applied in industrial processes and for high temperatures, it is applied in power generation plants that we know as solar thermal power plants.

What are solar thermal power plants?

Solar thermal power plants are installations that take advantage of solar energy to generate electricity (once the solar radiation has been transformed into heat energy). We distinguish two types:

1. Central tower plants: they have a set of large volume mirrors that concentrate solar radiation at one point.

2. stations distributed collector: used to amplify concentration collectors solar radiation on a surface. These collectors obtain temperatures of up to 300ºC to produce steam.

Differences in photovoltaic solar energy vs. thermal

• Transforms solar radiation into electricity.
• It is possible to self-consume.
• It uses accumulators to store energy (essential in isolated self-consumption facilities ).
• More expensive.
• Transforms solar radiation into heat.
• It generates domestic hot water in homes.
• It uses tanks to store heat.
• More economical.
• Self-consumption is not possible.
• What is passive solar energy?

Passive solar energy takes advantage of heat and sunlight without using mechanical devices. This energy consists of applying an architectural design that improves natural lighting through facades, glass surfaces, and a south orientation. Therefore, it does not use extra components to produce energy (as is the case with solar panels), it is based on the design and use of natural resources.

 

• Uses of photovoltaic and thermal solar energy
• The most common uses are shown below depending on the technology used to capture solar energy:
• Photovoltaic solar energy uses

â–• Electricity: this is the main use. The installation of photovoltaic panels makes it possible to produce electricity to satisfy the energy consumption of a home or business. There are two possible ways to supply energy demand: isolated self-consumption (it is essential to install photovoltaic batteries for time zones in which there is no solar radiation) and with grid connection with or without surpluses.

If users avail themselves of the surplus compensation mechanism, they will be able to receive financial compensation for their energy surpluses at the end of each billing period.

â–• Transport: manufacturers in the automotive industry have been working for some time on the development of cars that circulate thanks to solar energy. This practice has been very well accepted and is being extended to other vehicles such as solar panels in motorhomes, trains, and even roads.

â–• Public lighting: the lighting of entrances in towns, roads, etc. through the use of photovoltaic solar panels is one of the cheapest alternatives.

â–• Agricultural and livestock farms: photovoltaic solar energy is also used for solar irrigation systems in these types of farms. This technique is becoming very popular, as the vast majority of these areas are rural and often do not have access to the electricity grid.

Solar thermal energy uses

â–• Sanitary hot water: this application is the most common, this is because the demand for drinking water is stable throughout the year, which means a rapid amortization of these facilities.

â–• Pool heating: this is one of the most widespread uses of thermal energy to heat all types of pools: in villas, community pools, and for public and private use. This option can be done without a specific installation or used as a plug-in.

â–• Solar heating: thermal panels take advantage of solar energy to satisfy the heating demand in buildings and thus reduce the total energy cost.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy?

Once we know the methods of obtaining solar energy and its uses, the multiple benefits it has are indisputable. If you are thinking of installing solar panels in your home or business, below we present both the main advantages and disadvantages so that you can value if it is worth it.

Advantages

• Spain is an ideal country to bet on solar energy due to the large number of hours of sunlight it has.
• Solar energy is an inexhaustible source, as it is renewable energy we cannot run out of it.
• Clean energy: does not generate waste.

It allows you to produce electricity live where you live, that is, solar energy systems can be installed in places where the electricity grid does not reach.

It is profitable: although it is true that installing solar panels requires a certain initial outlay, it is a bet that pays off more and more soon and in the medium-long term it is beneficial in economic terms. There are more and more alternatives that allow facilities to be amortized sooner. An example of this is the shared photovoltaic self-consumption in communities of owners, residential areas, and industrial estates.

The maintenance of solar power systems is scarce. Normally, solar panels only need certain preventive care per year to guarantee their proper functioning during their 20-25 years of useful life.

Disadvantages

• The cost of solar energy systems requires some initial investment.
• The places with more solar radiation are places far from the big cities and deserts.
• Isolated self-consumption systems require solar accumulators, which have a high cost.
• Solar energy is not constant, since it varies throughout the day and depends on the weather conditions of the place.
• Pollution has negative effects on solar energy, this is because its performance is lower in polluted cities.