Solar panel forests, an alternative towards energy reforestation

Global warming is an issue that has been discussed for more than fifty years, among many of these debates the topic has been treated as a warning, but not as a reality.  Today, the facts that have been witnessed worldwide are evidence of the magnitude of the problem. Global warming is a present of which there is no global awareness, because even suffering the consequences, some of the causes are still present in the form of consumption.

The forests affected by global warming have left an indelible mark on planet earth, since the natural cycles have been interrupted, and with them, the native species are seriously compromised, while the invasive plants multiply. These areas deforested by fires could be used as a new field of energy development since they are places where the highest rates of solar radiation take place.

The evident increase in the world population in recent decades and the magnitude with which this factor continues to grow disproportionately, has caused resources to be limited and scarce, given the high level of consumption needs generated.

The lifestyle today is associated with the satisfaction of the needs of massive goods and services, thanks to this, the level of energy consumption per capita has increased significantly; the supply of energy has not been left behind, as modern society could not be possible without it, more than a third of this energy is used to generate electricity, and the major sources of supply are: gas, oil, coal, nuclear power and hydropower. These sources require a chemical, thermal and/or mechanical process to become electrical energy, which is used in homes and industry, although during the process two thirds of the total energy is lost.

Another problem that faces the energy that human beings demand is the infrastructure, because nowadays the energies that are mostly used as gas, oil and coal, are not renewable sources and these sources have been depleted with greater speed with which they are generated naturally, this makes them an unsustainable source thanks to the high level of consumption that we have today.

Fortunately there is a beam up the sleeve, a clean, sustainable, renewable, and inexhaustible source of energy used by nature; The sun, is the main star of the solar system, plays an indispensable role in living beings, provides light, heat and energy, not to mention the role it plays in other areas such as climatic factors or biogeochemical cycles that influence life.

Solar energy is found throughout the planet earth and is inexhaustible, thanks to this, its development has had an exponential growth, and great inventions have been created around this area. In the 18th century, the first solar collector was created, since the 19th century the materials began to change in order to increase their performance and efficiency, using platinum at first and then selenium as a semiconductor material, and today there are materials such as crystallized silicon or gallium.

Its installation globally is a success and its low long-term prices have aroused great interest in the applicants.

Photovoltaic cells are still being researched, since both the materials and the design in terms of shapes and sizes are factors that can benefit the strategy to capture those electromagnetic waves from the sun.

Using Biomimicry, which is the science that studies nature as a source of inspiration for the creation of innovative technologies, we can observe how trees grow in such a way that their structure captures the greatest amount of solar energy, since their unique design makes each of their branches obtain sunlight without obstructing or blocking this energy for the other trees around them. Working with this structure could allow the following photovoltaic cells to capture more sunlight in a small space.

The fires that have occurred in areas like Australia and the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, are an index of high temperatures and great solar exposure, without mentioning some other geopolitical interests, these deforested areas will take some time to be regenerated again; the solar energy forests consist of giving a restart to that affected area, a reminder of what we have caused to the planet earth, along with a study of soil restoration after forest fires, such power generation could cover a part of the cost that requires the whole restoration process and at the same time provide a service to the surrounding communities.

It is essential to recognize the importance of working together for sustainable development, supporting the creation and research of new renewable energies, this will be possible with the implementation of those energies, from homes to large industries. Renewable energy forests will give a new start to the energy revolution, accompanied by a massive awareness of the way consumption is carried out, and will be a step towards a future on planet earth.

About the author

Daniela Bernal Rodriguez

Petroleum engineering professional at the University of America Foundation, with a postgraduate degree in international business and a solar energy course in the United States.

 

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