The Power of the Sun
The sun produces energy in the form of solar radiation, without which life on Earth could not exist. The energy released from the sun is known as solar radiation and is caused by fusion reactions which occur at high temperatures and intense pressures near the suns core. This solar energy radiates outwards from the sun and a significant amount of it reaches Earth. If the amount of energy reaching the earth from the sun could be harnessed for human use, it would supply about 10,000 times the current global energy demands.
The intensity of solar power reaching the earth is called solar irradiance, and is commonly expressed in terms of watts per square meter (W/m²). With a Rooftop Kilowatt installation solar panels are positioned to retrieve the optimal solar irradiance for selling electricity back to the grid.
The amount of solar power reaching the Earth’s surface varies significantly. This is due to the Earth’s tilt, rotation, atmosphere, and various climatic conditions. The estimate of peak solar energy hitting the Earth’s surface is known as Peak Sun and has been given the value of 1000 W/m2. According to Natural Resources Canada, Toronto International Airport receives 3.67 Peak Sun Hours (kwh/m2/day) of solar irradiation on a horizontal surface. For surfaces tilted to latitude, this number increases to about 4.07 Peak Sun Hours per day. The higher the number of peak sun hours an area receives, the more electricity a PV system in that area will produce.
Get Solar Smart...Your 1st Lesson in Making Easy Money
Insterested in generating extra income? Find out how to make your roof pay...
Installing a Solar PV System
Contact Rooftop Kilowatts to book your solar assessment and start receiving SUNCHEQUES…
From the Experts...
Photovoltaic potential and solar resource maps of Canada
The interactive maps of the photovoltaic (PV) potential and solar resource of Canada have been developed by the Canadian Forest Service (Great Lakes Forestry Centre).
