Make Solar Power Your Choice to Save Money
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a diversity of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, in conjunction with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available renewable energy on earth. Only a small segment of the available solar energy is used today. We have a long way to go. Nature has given us plenty of energy – and we have no right to complain. We need to use the means available and harnass the power from nature.
Solar powered electrical generation relies on heat engines and photovoltaics. Solar energy’s uses are limited only by human ingenuity. A partial list of solar applications consist of space heating and cooling through solar architecture, potable water via distillation and disinfection, daylighting, solar hot water, solar cooking, and high temperature process heat for industrial purposes.To harvest the solar energy, the most frequent way is to use solar panels.
Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive or active depending on the way they capture, convert and disseminate sunlight. Active solar formulas include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar formulas include deciding materials with favorable thermal properties, establishing spaces that naturally propagate air, and referencing the position of a building to the Sun. Active solar technologies expand the supply of energy and are considered supply side technologies, while passive solar technologies reduce the need for alternate resources and are commonly considered demand side technologies.
Sunlight has influenced building design since the beginning off off of architectural history. Advanced solar architecture and urban planning methods were first employed by the Greeks and Chinese, who oriented their buildings toward the south to provide light and warmth. The frequent features of passive solar architecture are orientation relative to the Sun, compact proportion (a low surface area to volume ratio), selective shading (overhangs) and thermal mass. When these characteristics are tailored to the local climate and environment they can produce well-lit spaces that stay in a comfortable temperature range. Socrates’ Megaron House is a classic example of passive solar design. Some passive solar architecture is just plain common sense. For example, in hot countries, to reduce the amount of energy used for air-conditioning, the window glassed are made of tainted glass or has a dark covering on it. Shades built over the windows prevent direct sunlight from hitting the windows and heating it.
The most recent approaches to solar design use personal computer modeling tying together solar lighting, heating and ventilation systems in an integrated solar design kit. Active solar equipment such as pumps, fans and switchable windows can complement passive design and improve system performance.You can visit http://www.alphasolarpanel.com for more information and how to buy, ready to use solar panel sets. There is no difficulty in starting off today.
Urban heat islands (UHI) are metropolitan areas with higher temperatures than that of the surrounding background. The higher temperatures are a result of increased absorption of the Solar light by urban materials such as asphalt and concrete, which have reduce albedos and higher heat capacities than those in the natural background. A straightforward technique of counteracting the UHI outcome is to paint buildings and roads white and plant trees. Using these techniques, a hypothetical “cool communities” program in Los Angeles has projected that urban temperatures could came down by close to 3
