Solar Energy Facts
1) The U.S. Department of Energy (D.O.E.) estimates that use of all renewable energy sources has doubled between 1949 to 2003, from 3% to 6% of all energy sources (petroleum in 2003 was 40%).
2) In 2003, solar energy represents only 1% of all renewable energy sources! Now consider that our planet is and always has been flooded by solar energy...
3) The average distance (depends on time of year) from the Sun to the Earth is 92,960,000 miles (149,604,970 kilometers). Since light travels at 186,000 miles per second, the sunlight outside your window left the sun about eight minutes ago.
4) Yuma, Arizona (U.S.A.) gets the most sun on the planet: averaging 4,055 hours of sunshine each year, which is a mind-boggling 91% of possible hours.
5) On the winter solstice (about Dec 22) the sun does not rise north of the Arctic Circle. Some of the lucky towns to have this honor include Kangerlussuaq (aka Sondrestrom) in Greenland and Wainwright, Alaska.
6) The most common use for solar power is for heating swimming pools. More than 300,000 pools in the U.S. are heated by solar; the return on investment (ROI) can be as little as two years.
7) The Earth receives more energy from our Sun in one hour than mankind uses in one year.
8) Why is the sky blue? The violet and blue light wavelengths from the sun are scattered by the atmosphere, more strongly than other wavelengths (colors).
9) The Sun is actually a nuclear power plant, based on hydrogen fusion. Fortunately, it's a very safe distance away from us...
10) And last but not least, no life on Earth would be possible without the Sun.