Solar energy is most abundantly available on the earth and it will last as long as the earth will last. ( It is the other way actually! The earth will last only as long as the solar energy lasts!) Green enthusiasts and those keen on saving power-costs are increasingly making use of solar energy to fulfill most of their needs. The growth of the solar-energy usage is on a steady rise. If these trends continue, some objects of regular use are bound to become redundant and obsolete. Here are 5 such items that are on the danger list of getting obsolete with the arrival of better solar panels:
1. Chargers
Conventional chargers come in various sizes and shapes. You plug one end into the electric circuit board and hook the other end to your device. These do not need much electricity. They are thus being replaced with solar powered chargers. Sunlight is a resource that is found in abundance in most places on the planet. Chargers are now being built that just have to be plugged into the electronic device and left in the sun.
Better solar panels will ensure better charging capacity. Today, most of the leading manufacturers are adopting a solar charger also for their devices like MP3 players, cell phones etc. The idea of a solar universal charger that can be hooked up to a variety of devices and gadgets is also catching on fast. At this rate, the electric board chargers are going to be out of business soon.
2. Water heaters
Boilers and water heaters at homes consume a lot of power. Hot water is no longer considered a luxury at hotels and homes. It has become a necessity. Solar powered water heaters are fast proliferating. The reasons for their popularity are many. They heat up giant volumes of water in a day and there are absolutely no running costs once the installation is taken care of.
Since the solar energy is available freely without any pollution, the carbon footprint of the building that has installed such a system is greatly reduced. The best part of the solar water heaters is that they do not need heavy sunlight for functioning. The light that filters through even on cloudy days is enough to provide efficient heating. With its usage throughout the year, in almost every part of the world, the solar water heater is set to topple the conventional water heaters out of their homes.
3. Traditional sun screens
We made the sun screens to keep the sun out of business. Now the solar powered sunscreens are here to run the traditional sun screens out of business! All the traditional treatments to the home windows emphasize on the aesthetic appeal mostly, neglecting the protection from the sun. Apart from allowing light, a lot of heat too gets into the home and thus the bills of cooling the home go up substantially. Solar screens ensure that only the sun’s light gets into the homes.
They protect your homes from the heat and your eyes from the glare. Sunlight damage to photographs and furniture in the homes is also reduced by these solar screens. You only have to invest in the installation. They are maintenance free and are set to push out cloth shades and window blinds.
4. Electric powered air-conditioners
Allow the sun a chance to make up for the problem of heat it creates! Solar powered air conditioners are now being manufactured and marketed on a big scale. They have very low operating costs and work better when the sun shines brighter. This is wonderful because as the sun gets stronger, so will your air conditioner! They require almost zero electrical power. With low operating costs and very good return on investment, that time is not far away when most of the world will be using solar powered air conditioners.
5. Lights
Solar lights are being deployed in many public places in the developing and developed countries alike. The light post is mounted with solar panels. These panels charge up the batteries. These batteries power the light at night. The panels do not need strong sunshine and work well even in normal light conditions. Attaching a light meter along with the panel also makes the light switch on and off automatically, based on the lighting conditions.
This is very useful as it saves tremendous costs involved in running cables and wires throughout the street. The solar powered light is a modular and independent unit that can be erected any place, at any time. Working further on this concepts, the solar energy is now being used to charge up batteries to even provide home lighting. Very soon, most of the world’s lighting needs can be fulfilled using the energy from the sun, even during the night!
