Solar Powered Transportation
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The transportation sector is one of the major contributors to the greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change. It is bringing out the urgency to find a sustainable transportation option crucial for reducing harmful emissions and mitigating the environmental impact.

Solar-powered transportation is emerging as a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to conventional fossil fuel-powered transit.

As a renewable resource, solar energy does not harm the planet and offers extensive benefits in the transportation sector. Studies say that the solar-powered car market size predicts a CAGR of 35.50% growth worth $46.11 Billion by 2031.

There is an increased adaptation of new zero-emission technology with solar-powered vehicle manufacturers that presents attractive opportunities for earning revenue.

The growing innovation in crystalline silicon solar cells and government investments in clean energy transportation is propelling the market toward the easier transition from fossil fuel to the solar power switch.

Solar energy has become a viable source to power various transportation modes, including cars, buses, trains, and planes. So let’s explore how these transport modes’ advancements are revolutionizing how we travel.

How is solar energy transforming the transportation sector?

The transportation sectors include cars, trucks, trains, and planes, which release a lot of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. These emissions contribute to global warming and climate change.

One reason for these high emissions is that the transportation industry mostly uses gasoline and diesel, which release carbon dioxide when burned. Solar energy offers a cleaner and more sustainable alternative.

The good thing is every place on Earth receives sunlight to some extent, even though the amount may vary. Solar panels are generally called solar photovoltaic or solar PV panels and are used to convert direct sunlight into electricity. You can see the panels on rooftops in the large solar farms, which are commonly used to power homes and businesses.

However, with advanced PV technology, solar energy is used for smaller things, like watches, calculators, and electronic devices, rather than batteries. These innovations help save energy and reduce the need for electricity from fossil fuels and disposable batteries.

Another form of solar technology is concentrated solar power to generate solar thermal energy through mirrors and lenses. The generated heat can produce electricity by running a turbine. Moreover, there are also solar heating and cooling systems that use solar heat to warm things, further reducing the need for fossil fuels.

According to the reports from the United States, the transportation sector accounted for 27% of total emissions in 2020, a large contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

So, if manufacturers can transition the transportation sector to cleaner energy sources like solar power, it would fulfill the consumer’s demand to take part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Even though solar-powered transportation is relatively new and not widely used yet, many leading countries are adopting solar energy for transportation. The United States, Japan, China, Germany, and India are transforming countries.

They are developing solar-powered vehicles and solar-powered charging stations. These vehicles are equipped with solar panels to capture solar energy and store energy in batteries to power the vehicle’s motor instead of fossil fuels.

Solar energy implementation in the transportation sector

While many are using solar energy for electricity in homes and buildings, if everyone starts to adopt this clean and renewable energy for transportation, it can vastly bring a difference in environmental health and build a sustainable future generation.

Here are some major solar-powered modes of transportation that contribute to the rise of the solar-powered transportation market segment.

  • Solar-powered electric cars and buses

Solar-powered cars are the pioneers of sustainable transportation, making remarkable progress in recent years. Manufacturing a vehicle that ran solely on solar power was a major challenge. However, the benefits they bring outweigh the obstacles.

The Solar-powered generated electricity is charged from a charging station and stored in batteries for later use. Some have solar panels on the exterior to capture sunline that cost more than $20,000 and release zero emissions.

Similarly, solar-powered electric buses have gained popularity in the public transportation sector. The solar panels are mounted on the roofs and the body works use electric motors.

Apart from the inductive charging system integration, buses can be charged through solar energy stations. They offer quieter operations, zero tailpipe emissions, and contribute to greener urban transportation.

  • Solar-powered electric bikes and scooters

Solar energy is generated in the form of electric bikes and scooters. These small and efficient vehicles can be equipped with solar panels integrated into their structures. The solar panels charge the vehicle’s battery and reduce the need for external charging.

Hence, solar-powered electric bikes and scooters provide a sustainable, cost-effective solution for short-distance commuting and are particularly useful in densely populated urban areas. The e-bike market is expected to grow to $1.66 billion by 2030.

  • Solar-powered electric planes

Top companies like Airbus and Solar Impulse are investing more in the adoption of electrified planes. In 2015, the Solar Impulse plane successfully completed a 40,000 km flight. Solar energy has great potential for transforming the aviation industry.

The solar panels are equipped with large wings covered in solar panels capturing sunlight and converting it into electricity to power the electric engines. There is ongoing research for improving solar power technology’s efficiency and storage capacity for bigger aircraft and long-duration flights.

  • Solar powered Boats

The motor boats are quite noisy and use fossil foil, causing carbon emissions that contribute to water pollution. The solar-powered boats are more silent and produce no carbon emissions, so there is no harm to the water’s lives.

Moreover, solar-powered e-boats are more beneficial for long-distance cruising and recreational activities. They contribute to cleaner oceans and reduce dependence on fossil fuel-powered marine transports.

  • Solar powered trains

The first fully solar-powered passenger train in the world ran in Australia. The train has successfully completed 10 six km journeys per day for the last five years. The solar panels are installed on the train storage shed to generate significant electricity to power up the train and return energy to the grid. On the train, the panels produce about 30kW, and they connect to the train’s batteries.

The curved panels can also generate 6.5kW of solar power. In the e-trains, further research is going on for regenerative braking systems to capture and convert kinetic energy into electricity.

This further improves the efficiency of the train. The solar-powered trains can effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower operating costs, making both urban and intercity rail transports sustainable.

  • Solar powered street lights

Apart from all the solar-powered vehicles, solar energy also makes a great contribution to street lighting systems. The solar-powered street lights have solar panels to capture sunlight during the day and store the energy in batteries for nighttime.

It eliminates the need for grid-based electricity, lower maintenance costs, and increases safety in remote off-grid areas. The study states that the global market for solar streetlights will grow at a CAGR of 16.40% in the next five years, valued at $5.78 billion in 2022.

Also, Read – The Future of Solar Energy

Final Words

Solar power is the future of transportation, reducing consumers’ reliance on fossil fuels and minimizing environmental pollution levels. With the diverse transportation methods and public transport systems across the globe, it is now crucial to find a way to reduce the GHG emissions that are creating a climate crisis.

Thanks to the innovations in generating electricity from solar rays, the transportation sector is now making a significant transition towards clean energy that is cost-effective and can improve the health of the planet.

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