Cool Facts – Solar Canopies

Cool Facts – Solar Canopies

We have put together these cool facts about solar energy to encourage your children and pupils enthusiasm towards solar panels and solar energy.

These facts really are interesting and very educational, they are great for if you are thinking of having a solar canopy installed and to help your pupils understand how solar works and how important it is to the environment!

Read on to find out how long it takes for light to travel from the sun’s surface to earth and what would happen if we covered a small fraction of the Sahara desert with photovoltaic cells.

Did you know…

  • It takes 8 minutes 19 seconds for light to travel from the sun’s surface to earth – that’s 93,000,000 miles, at a speed of 186,282 miles per second.
  • In 5 billion years the sun will run out of fuel.
  • Enough sunlight falls on the earth every hour to meet the world’s energy demands for an entire year.
  • The sun is also the main source of non-renewable fossil fuels (coal, gas and petroleum), which began life as plants or animals whose energy came from the sun millions of years ago.
  • Solar energy is responsible for weather patterns and ocean currents.
  • A Swiss scientist, Horace de Saussure invented the world’s first solar energy collector, or ‘hot box’ in 1767.
  • In the 1830s British astronomer John Herschel used a solar energy collector box to cook food during an expedition to Africa.
  • Da Vinci predicted a solar industrialisation as far back as 1447.
  • A world record was set in 1990 when a solar powered aircraft flew 4060km across the USA, using no fuel.
  • If we covered a small fraction of the Sahara desert with photovoltaic cells, we could generate all the world’s electricity requirements.
  • Electric ovens consume the most amount of electricity, followed by microwaves and central air conditioning.
  • All TV and communications satellites are powered by solar energy using photovoltaic cells.
  • Solar Energy is becoming more and more popular; the worldwide demand for Solar Energy is currently greater than supply.
  • The average solar canopy is not as confusing as it sounds; they are typically made up of solar panels, an inverter, a battery, a charge controller, wiring and a canopy.

If you are interested in Solar Canopies, please click here to register your interest or contact us

Our Solar Canopy range is designed and installed by Able Canopies Ltd

For more information please contact us, or email sales@ablecanopies.co.uk

Able Canopies Ltd. design, manufacture and install commercial grade canopies, shade sails, awnings and shelters across the UK. We specialise in servicing the education, leisure, healthcare and retail sectors and have extensive experience working with schools, councils, architects and contracting firms.
For more information on our products and services please contact us

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