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Renewable
Energy
About Solar Energy and Solar
Power Systems
Solar Energy
Solar energy is the cleanest,
greenest and most viable form of renewable energy available to help power your
residence. Solar energy has many uses such as electricity
production and heating of water through photovoltaic cells and directly for
drying clothes. Solar energy can also be used to heat swimming pools, power
cars, for attic fans, calculators and other small appliances. It produces
lighting for indoors or outdoors.
The
Earth receives as much energy from sunlight in 20 days as is believed to be
stored in the Earth's entire reserves of coal, oil and natural gas. There are
presently three main types of solar power system: solar buildings, solar thermal
concentration systems and photovoltaic cells. With today's technology, houses
with passive solar design and efficient insulation can save as much as ninety
nine per cent of energy used for space heating and cooling. The
technology and the systems are becoming smaller, more economical, efficient and
better looking than ever.
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 year ago. Solar energy is responsible for weather patterns and ocean
currents. Clouds, pollution and wind can prevent the sun's rays from reaching
the earth. Solar Energy is becoming more and more popular. The worldwide demand
for Solar Energy is currently greater than supply.
Solar Power Systems
Solar
cells are elegantly simple, made from special materials that are neither
insulators (like plastics) nor conductors of electricity (like copper wire).
When they are exposed to light and absorb photons (particles of light and other
forms of electromagnetic radiation), these materials - called
"semi-conductors" - allow an electrical current to be generated.
Photons
contain various amounts of energy depending on the different wavelengths of the
solar spectrum. This energy level determines what happens when photons strikes a
photovoltaic cell, where they will either be absorbed, reflected or pass right
through. Some of the absorbed photons generate electricity, others generate
heat, and some never reach the external circuit.
A
home solar system is typically made up of solar panels, an inverter, a battery,
a charge controller, wiring and support structure. A 1 kilowatt home solar
system will generate approximately 1,600 kilowatt hours per year in a sunny
climate (receiving 5.5 hours of sunshine per day) and approximately 750
kilowatt hours per year in a cloudy climate (receiving 2.5 hours of sunshine per
day).
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