Solar Energy at Night
Solar power is a very environmentally friendly form of energy. Many people, groups, and companies are starting to use solar power more as an effort to “go green.” However, there was one problem with solar power; you could only get solar power during the day. Arizona Public service found a way around this flaw however with a project they call Solana. Basically, during the day time energy is gathered from the sun by three square miles of parabolic mirrors that focuses the sun’s energy on black pipes, which carry the heat to huge tanks of molten salt. The heat from the molten salt can be drawn out by the company, which can then be used to make steam and electricity while the sun is set. This technology has already been used by Arizona Public Service in Flagstaff, Arizona. Recently when it snowed in Flagstaff Arizona, thousands of people turned their heat on, and to meet the demand energy collected from the sun on the previous day was utilized. The method in which energy is attained by “Solana” is a very big step in the case of saving our planet. While there was a flaw in solar energy as a renewable source of energy, with this new method, that flaw is fixed. Although this method is not 100% efficient at this time because of how the energy has to be transferred, it is a big step for science, and an even bigger step for the sake of mankind.